第一批美國海軍陸戰隊派駐澳大利亞大綱

The first wave of U.S. Marines has arrived in northern Australia, marking the start of a larger U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith greeted the 200 Marines as they stepped off a charter flight in Darwin Wednesday. The Marines are the first contingent of an eventual 2,500-member Air Ground Task Force that will engage in joint military exercises with Australian forces. Under the agreement, Australia also will facilitate an increased use of Darwin air base by U.S. military aircraft, including jet fighters and bombers. Jeffrey Bleich, the U.S. ambassador to Canberra, says it is fortunate that U.S. forces are stationed in the region, which he described as "the most dynamic area in the world right now." The Marines will not establish a permanent outpost in Darwin. Instead, they will be based at a military barracks on the city's outskirts and deploy to the region on a six-month rotational basis.

The deployment is part of an agreement announced in November by U.S. President Barack Obama and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard during events marking the 60th anniversary of the two nations' military and strategic alliance. The agreement was met with open suspicion by China, which fears the U.S. seeks to stifle Beijing's rise as a global economic and military power. But the Australian defense chief says the U.S. military presence will help to ensure peace and security in the region. News reports say Australia may allow the U.S. to use the northern territory to operate long-range unmanned spy planes.第一批美國海軍陸戰隊已經抵達澳大利亞北部，標誌着美軍在亞太地區擴大部署的開始。這200名海軍陸戰隊成員星期三在達爾文走下專機時受到澳大利亞國防部長斯蒂芬.史密斯的歡迎。將與澳大利亞軍隊舉行聯合軍事演習的美國陸空特遣隊最終規模將達到2500人，這些海軍陸戰隊隊員是特遣隊的第一批。根據協議，澳大利亞還將提供便利，讓包括噴氣戰鬥機和轟炸機在內的美國軍機增加使用達爾文空軍基地。美國駐澳大利亞大使布萊奇說，美國很幸運能在這一地區駐軍。他說，這裏現在是“世界上最變化多端的地區”。美國海軍陸戰隊不會在達爾文建立永久基地。他們將駐紮在達爾文市郊外的一個軍營，並每六個月輪換一次在該地區的駐軍。

這一部署是美國總統奧巴馬和澳大利亞總理吉拉德在去年11月紀念兩國軍事和戰略同盟60週年的一系列活動上宣佈的一項協議的組成部分。該協議遭到中國的公開質疑。中國擔心美國試圖遏制中國在全球的經濟和軍事崛起。但是澳大利亞國防部長說，美國駐軍將有助於確保該地區的和平與安全。有報道說，澳大利亞可能允許美國使用澳大利亞的北部地區操控遠程無人駕駛間諜飛機。