According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, military spending in Asia and Oceania has increased 45 per cent since 2013.
Given that backdrop, Australia predicts an increased risk of conflict in the Taiwan Strait, the South and East China Seas or on the border with India.
Marles said that old assumptions about how much time Australia would have to prepare for war were gone.
“Australia no longer has the luxury of a 10-year window of strategic warning time for conflict” he said, upending long-held belief.
Asked about Canberra’s strategy at a regular briefing, Beijing urged Australia to “refrain from making accusations against China at every turn”.
“China poses no threat to any country,” foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said.
“We hope that the Australian side can view China’s development and strategic intentions in a correct light, abandon the Cold War mentality (and) do more to safeguard regional peace and stability,” he added.
