US Eyes Indian Ocean’s Cocos Islands for Potential Military Base to Counter China

The United States is considering the Cocos Islands, a remote Australian territory, as a potential site for military construction under the Pacific Deterrence Initiative. This initiative aims to enhance US force posture and infrastructure to deter China’s growing influence in the region.

The Cocos Islands, with a population of 600 and located 3,000 km west of the Australian mainland, are strategically important for maritime surveillance in the Indian Ocean. The Australian Defence Force has identified the island as crucial, especially given the increasing Chinese submarine activity in the area.

A US Navy construction tender published in June includes the Cocos Islands as a possible project location, signaling the US military’s interest in gaining access to this Indian Ocean territory. “These projects may or may not support the Darwin Marines Rotational Force,” stated a NAVFAC Pacific spokesman.

Currently, around 2,000 US Marines are stationed in Darwin, northern Australia, for six months each year. The potential development of the Cocos Islands is seen as critical by security experts for the US to exert pressure on China, particularly in scenarios involving Taiwan.

Australia plans to expand the airfield on Cocos Islands this year to accommodate heavier military aircraft, including the submarine-hunting P-8A Poseidon. An Australian Defence Force spokesman confirmed that, as of now, there is no US investment in the Cocos Islands, but highlighted the close cooperation between Australia and the US on force posture across various locations.

The strategic importance of the Cocos Islands, in proximity to the Strait of Malacca, enhances its geostrategic advantages. The US continues to emphasize the role of its Diego Garcia air base in regional security, while discussions on its future are ongoing between Britain and Mauritius.