China missile strikes could reach ‘two-thirds’ of Australia

China’s ground-based ballistic missile arsenal could reach two-thirds of Australia’s mainland, a new submission to the government’s Defense Strategic Review has warned.

Former defense analysts working with the US think tank Rand Corporation argued in the 33-page report that key military installations in northern Australia should be moved further south to protect them.

The document claims that the communist superpower’s expansion into the South China Sea, where it has built military bases on disputed islands and atolls, increased the attack range of its warheads.

It claims Australian Defense Force bases in the Northern Territory, Townsville in Queensland and the northern half of WA are within reach, some of which are jointly operated with the US.

China’s missiles can hit two-thirds of Australia’s mainland, warns a new report (Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, walks with visiting Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh)

Buildings and structures are seen on the Chinese-built artificial island at Mischief Reef on October 25, 2022 in the Spratly Islands, South China Sea (pictured)

Of specific concern is the Mischief Reef Atoll in the Spratly Islands, which China has developed since 2014, which is now capable of launching DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missiles with a range of 4,000km.

US intelligence confirmed in October that Mischief Reef was militarily operational and that China had the capability to attack the Pacific island of Guam, the westernmost point of US territory and a key strategic location.

The Strategic Defense Review was announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in August to “ensure the Australian Defense Force is well positioned to meet the nation’s security challenges to 2033 and beyond.”

Submissions closed on November 30, and parts of the full review will be made public early next year.

The Chinese JL-2 submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile on display in 2019. The weapon is capable of delivering nuclear warheads, though exactly how many are unclear.

The Northern Territory has joint US-Australian military bases (pictured: a US Marine Corps M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System in the NT)

Last week, Albanese met Vietnamese National Assembly Speaker Vuong Dinh Hue in Canberra while Defense Minister Richard Marles visited Hanoi, in a bid to strengthen partnerships in Southeast Asia.

“Australia and Vietnam share close ties and a vision of a stable, peaceful, resilient and prosperous region,” Albanese said.

Mr. Marles has now traveled to the US, where he will meet his US and UK counterparts in Washington this week for the inaugural talks of the AUKUS security pact.

He will then continue to Japan to continue security talks aimed at strengthening defense and technology cooperation to counter the threat from Beijing.

Vietnamese Defense Minister Phan Van Giang and Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles in Hanoi last week.

Among the issues to be discussed at the AUKUS talks is a roadmap for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines from the US and the UK.

But other technologies will also be discussed, including ‘drones’ submarines which Mr Marles has described as ‘more expendable, more numerous… and will enable greater awareness over a much longer distance’.

Tokyo has recently pushed to play a bigger role in AUKUS technology projects.

Japan’s ambassador to Australia, Shingo Yamagami, said in November that Australia was Japan’s closest ally after the US, and that his country hoped there would be “specific projects” under AUKUS in the that could be included.

A recent report from the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies recommended that AUKUS be reworked to formally include Japan in a limited capacity.

‘[They should] expand AUKUS cooperation on specific advanced capabilities to include Japan, as there is considerable overlap between AUKUS’s advanced capabilities agenda and the capabilities Japan is seeking as part of its own defense buildout,” the report says.