Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a significant increase in defence spending to boost the country’s military prowess in the Indo-Pacific, amid jitters about China’s growing power in the region. In a major speech in Canberra, Morrison said the government would spend A$270 billion (US$186 billion) on defence over the next decade, up nearly 40 per cent from the A$195 billion pledged under its previous strategic review in 2016.
