【环球时报驻澳大利亚特约记者 达乔】澳大利亚政府决定向日本采购新型护卫舰。同时，澳民众对"奥 库斯"协议中购买美英核动力潜艇的信心进一步下降。据法新社5日报道，澳大利亚国防部当天宣布，选 定升级后的日本"最上"级护卫舰作为澳海军新一代护卫舰。 澳国防部长马尔斯表示，澳大利亚将在未来10年斥资100亿澳元（1澳元约合4.64元人民币），从日本采 购11艘"最上"级护卫舰，以提升澳海军的作战能力。他还称，此次军购是"澳日两国间有史以来达成的 最大规模国防工业协议"。法新社分析称，澳大利亚正在进行大规模军事重组，希望通过增强远程火力 提升其海军力量遏制中国。澳海军的一项重要计划就是通过增加11艘护卫舰，将其主力水面舰队扩充至 26艘护卫舰。 据报道，该协议将进一步巩固澳日两国间的安全伙伴关系。日本内阁官房长官林芳正表示，军购协 议"证明了澳大利亚对日本高技术的信任以及日本自卫队和澳大利亚军队之间互操作性的重要性"。林芳 正补充说，澳大利亚是日本的"特殊战略伙伴"。 与此同时，在执行与美英两国签署的"奥库斯"核潜艇采购协议上，澳政府面临巨大的民意压力。根据三 国此前达成的协议，澳政府计划在2055年之前耗资超3680 ...

Core Points - The U.S. Navy's production of Virginia-class submarines is insufficient to meet both domestic defense needs and commitments under the AUKUS agreement with Australia, requiring a doubling of production speed to fulfill these obligations [1][3] - Current production rates are approximately 1.13 submarines per year, while a minimum of 2 submarines per year is needed for U.S. defense, and around 2.33 submarines per year would be necessary to supply Australia [3] - The former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull indicated a very high likelihood that Australia may not receive any Virginia-class submarines due to U.S. production shortfalls, which could leave Australia without submarine capabilities for the next 10 to 20 years [4][5] Industry Insights - The U.S. Navy's shipbuilding capacity is described as "stagnant," with no simple solutions available to enhance production efficiency, necessitating a transformative increase in output rather than marginal improvements [3] - Australia has invested 16 billion AUD (approximately 10.4 billion USD) to support U.S. shipbuilding efforts, but results have been minimal [3] - The AUKUS agreement has faced criticism and scrutiny due to its implications for nuclear proliferation and regional security dynamics, with recent reports suggesting a reconsideration of the agreement by the U.S. Department of Defense [5][6]

Group 1: Australia-China Relations - Australian Prime Minister Albanese's visit to China is significant, marking the longest visit by an Australian leader to China, emphasizing the importance of Australia-China relations and economic cooperation [1][2] - China is Australia's largest trading partner, accounting for nearly one-third of Australia's total trade, with trade expected to reach approximately AUD 312 billion in 2024 [5][6] - The visit aims to strengthen ties in various sectors, including trade, tourism, education, and sports, reflecting Australia's pragmatic approach towards China [1][4] Group 2: Economic Opportunities - Albanese highlighted that exports to China exceed the total exports to Australia's next four largest trading partners combined, underscoring the economic significance of China for Australia [2][5] - The Australian tourism sector is poised for growth, with Chinese tourists being the highest spending group, contributing AUD 9.2 billion in the past year, a 28% increase year-on-year [4] - Australian businesses are eager to explore new opportunities in China, particularly in sectors like green metals, research and development, education, and clean energy [4][5] Group 3: Political Context - The visit occurs amid tensions in Australia-US relations, with the US pressuring Australia to increase defense spending, which Australia has resisted [7][8] - Despite differences, both countries agree that these should not define their relationship, and maintaining stable political relations is essential for advancing cooperation in various fields [8]