BRISBANE, Australia -- The U.S. and Australia agreed to upgrade two additional air bases in northern Australia, and to step up cooperation on weapons production and maintenance, as China's growing strategic ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region solidify defense ties between Washington and Canberra.
The agreement comes as U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with their Australian counterparts, Richard Marles and Penny Wong, in Brisbane.
