South China Sea crisis: Australia plans new base to combat Beijing's influence

Anonymous Australian government officials confirmed that the development would act as a military base for the US as well as a commercial port. Located 40 kilometres north-east of Darwin’s existing port, it has been earmarked by the government for years due to its deep waters. The move is likely to put China on high alert as President Xi Jinping looks to expand Beijing’s influence in the region.

The port will be able to accommodate US marines for various military activities in nearby waters.

Though the Darwin port already houses military facilities and hosts US ships on occasion, the new development will ensure larger amphibious warships can operate in a more discrete base.

Experts believe that more than 2,000 US marines could use the new deep-water port – a significant worry for Beijing.

Professor Rory Medcalf of the Australian National University said: "The Americans are clearly not withdrawing from the Indo-Pacific, whether it's because of their strategic competition with China or more generally.

"It's clear the Americans intend to stay in the region to reinforce their presence, to reinforce the alliance, and so a facility like this would be quite a logical development I think."

The move is set to counter China’s assumed control of the South China Sea – Beijing has been flexing its military muscle in the region in recent years.

A senior Commonwealth official told ABC: "I'd be surprised if the Chinese don't already know about it, but they can't complain because they're building similar ports in this region.”

WIth outposts positioned on various islands, China has asserted that it should control more than 80 percent of the South China Sea.

This is marked by a ‘nine-dash line’ which stretches over 2,000 kilometres from the Chinese mainland.

The US and Australia have attempted to quell their increasing influence through military counter-aggression of their own.

An American warship recently carried out joint military exercises with Japan in the region, while the US and Australia have planned to build another military base on Papua New Guinea.

The news comes weeks after three Chinese warships turned up unannounced near Sydney, causing confusion and chaos in the Australian ranks.

As a major strategic passageway, the South China Sea is not only crucial for trade but represents a strategic hub between Beijing and Canberra.

Washington’s involvement is likely to do with growing tensions between China and the US as the trade war between the two continues to escalate.