Voice of America News reports: “Australia, Japan and the U.S. on Sunday committed to closer military cooperation in training their forces as the countries deepened their ties in a bid to counter China’s military strength.

Australia’s minister of defense, Richard Marles, hosted U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Japan’s Defense Minister Gen Nakatani on Sunday for the trilateral ministers’ meeting — the first to be held in Australia.

Under the new agreement, Japan’s Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade — an elite marine unit — will be deployed to Darwin to regularly work and train alongside Australian and U.S. forces.

‘It is a very important statement to the region and to the world about the commitment that our three countries have in working with each other,’ Marles said…”