Australia faces Hobson's choice

Last week, China's Defense Ministry described the move of the United States and Australia to upgrade their military ties as "Cold War" thinking, which many newspapers in the US and Australia chose to highlight. Part of the Washington-Canberra deal is to station American troops in Australia.

On Nov 16, US President Barack Obama visited Australia during the short interval between APEC and East Asia summits (EAS). Of all Obama's achievements, the most significant is the agreement for US stationing troops in Australia, whose number will grow from 250 from the beginning of next year to 2,500 in 2015. Besides, US fighter planes and warships will also visit and use Australian military bases frequently.

Australia is one of the closest US allies, and the move to station American troops in Australia reflects Washington's intentions.