China stirred the Pacific pot, Japan powered up and Aussie AUKUS anxiety emerged: 2024 in review
SYDNEY — Turmoil, violence and reaction. That was the theme of 2024 across the Indo-Pacific, with China’s belligerence and attempts to remake the international order to its liking at its core driving many decisions of the nations in the theater.
In several instances this year Chinese forces engaged in hostile behavior, ramming Philippine ships, allegedly attacking Vietnamese fishermen and threatening Taiwan. But the actions were not without repercussions as they drove China’s neighbors and NATO countries to sign major new agreements, increase exercises, sail more joint Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPS) and bang the diplomatic drums more loudly and more often.
Japan made among the biggest moves in 2024. Tokyo and Canberra signed a Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), clearing the way for regular deployments of Japanese marines to Australia, similar to the rotational force the US Marines have at what Australians call the Top End. Japan and Britain also signed an RAA. Japan also announced its biggest defense spending increase since World War II in September.