cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/57991821

…

Andrew Shearer, the newly appointed Australian ambassador to Japan, offered blunt assessments of China’s military buildup and what he called economic coercion on Wednesday, drawing on his experience in his previous role as Canberra’s spy chief.

In a session with reporters at the Japan National Press Club, questions posed to Shearer focused heavily on regional tensions with China. When one reporter for mainland Chinese TV asked about a recent defense agreement between Japan and Australia regarding hypersonic missiles, condemned by Beijing as “dangerous,” the diplomat was quick to push back.

Australia and Japan, he said, “have worked in the interest of peace and stability” in the region, and therefore Australia has “welcomed and supported the evolution of Japanese policy to play a more active role in supporting security in the Indo-Pacific.”

…

The mutual defense agreement allows Japan to test-launch hypersonic weapons on Australian soil, which the Chinese reporter’s question framed as an escalation. China has repeatedly accused Japan of embarking on a path of “neo-militarism,” especially after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s parliamentary remarks about a potential Taiwan contingency last November. Yet, according to official figures, Beijing spends at least five times more than Tokyo on its military.

The former director-general of Australian national intelligence said that a major part of his previous role was understanding the nature and number of weapons in the world and who owns them.

“The missile league table is headed by very long margin by China, Russia and North Korea,” Shearer said. Japan is “taking modest, reasonable and appropriate steps to equip itself with deterrent capabilities … in response to the development of advanced missiles of other countries, including hypersonic missiles.”

In July, China spooked Pacific island neighbors by launching a nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile from a submarine into the ocean. Australia and other regional countries expressed concern in a communique at a summit last week.

…

Given the situation where China dominates “when it comes to missiles, I don’t think anyone could genuinely have a concern about the development of missile systems by Japan,” Shearer said on Wednesday.

On other risks to liberal democracies like Japan and Australia, Shearer warned that “foreign interference in our political systems and our societies, and espionage against developed democracies, is an increasing threat globally.” Without naming specific aggressors, he pointed to the use of social media and cyberattacks to “try to influence our political system to sow discord in our societies and drive wedges between us and our allies.”

He stressed a need to establish “strong laws against foreign influence and espionage” while shoring up social cohesion and information security in democratic societies.

Australia established its National Security Legislation Amendment (Espionage and Foreign Interference) Act in June 2018, as a response to growing concerns over Chinese influence and infiltration. Malcolm Turnbull, the prime minister at the time, said publicly after stepping down that the “key purpose” of the act was to shine a light on Chinese actions.

Shearer worked closely on such matters with Japan in his previous position, and vowed to continue sharing intelligence with Tokyo, along with “lessons that we have learned from our own experiences.”

Shearer stressed that both Japan and Australia wish to engage and cooperate with China, mainly in pursuit of economic and business interests, despite differences in geography, history and culture.

…

However, he added, “we have also been economically coerced by China.” About a decade ago, Australia-China ties began to deteriorate over concerns about security and alleged political interference. In 2018, Australia barred Chinese telecommunications equipment company Huawei from its 5G network. Later, after then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an independent investigation into the origins of COVID-19, China placed tariffs or blocked billions of dollars worth of Australian exports.

It was only after current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took office in 2022 that the relationship began to thaw, although friction points clearly remain. Shearer stressed that Japan and Australia are working together to “develop our capabilities so that we can maintain peace and stability in the region.” The crucial motivation for both countries, he said, is to preserve their ability “to make sovereign decisions.”

…