U.S. Navy Secretary, Carlos Del Toro, suggests the multination military exercise hosted in Australia demonstrates unity among allies and commitment to defending their security and democratic values to China. The exercise, Talisman Sabre, originally a joint effort between the U.S. and Australia since 2005, has expanded to 13 nations with over 30,000 military personnel.
Key Points:
- This year, the Talisman Sabre military exercise involves 13 nations, signifying a significant expansion since its inception as a joint U.S.-Australia exercise in 2005.
- Over 30,000 military personnel are participating in this exercise, which serves as a symbol of unity among allied nations to China.
- Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles highlighted the massive scale of the exercise, stating that more than 800 military vehicles will cross a single mobile wharf to be deployed in the Queensland coastal town of Bowen.
- Del Toro emphasized the exercise’s core message to China is that allied nations are prepared to operate together to defend national security interests and shared values.
- Chinese spy ships have been tracking Talisman Sabre exercises since 2017, according to Australian Army Lt. Gen. Greg Bilton, who assured readiness for such surveillance.
