From the ABC.  You will notice that the third large regional power, India, is perfectly unconcerned, and that Singapore, and the Philippines, and Thailand, seem also not to feel threatened in the slightest.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-17/china-indonesia-wary-of-us-troops-in-darwin/3675866

'China, Indonesia Wary of US Troops in Darwin'

'China and Indonesia have questioned the wisdom of Australia hosting US Marines in the Northern Territory, with claims the move risks creating a "circle of tension and mistrust".

Projection. They attribute to Australia and to the US the same base intentions that they themselves - driven by totalitarian ideologies (Maoist Communism and Islam) that dream of global conquest  - have manifested and sought to enact. - CM

'Up to 2,500 US Marines will be stationed in Darwin by 2017 under a new agreement announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and US President Barack Obama in Canberra yesterday.

'The announcement is widely seen as an attempt to balance the rising influence of China in the region.

And it could also function - though nobody is saying this out loud - to counter the advance of the Global Jihad in South-East Asia. - CM

'China has been quick to question whether it is appropriate to have US soldiers stationed on Australian soil.

'Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said China would never enter such military alliances.

You're you and we are us. We will keep our own counsel, mate, thank you very much.  Some of us do not forget your support for the cruellest regime on earth, North Korea; nor are we unaware of what you have been up to, in your relationship with the Islamic mass-murderers of what is now North Sudan, and your running interference for Islamic Iran. - CM

"We believe that there should be real actions to further strengthen cooperation with the two sides", he said.

"As for using the form of a military alliance, China has its own concepts of friendly cooperation with all countries".

Indeed it does.  Shall we mention Sudan, again? - CM

'He also said that his country was actively promoting peaceful international development (does this include running interference for Iran's nuke project, in the UN security council? - CM) and called on other nations to adopt the same attitude.

'Mr Liu said the global economy was in a rocky state and questioned whether now was a smart time for Australia to make the new agreement with the United States.

Yes indeed, times are hard, and America our friend is struggling. But here's something from a Book that quite a few Australians and many Americans still read and seek to live by, a Book that has shaped our common culture (and if you were wise, Mr Liu, your government would cease from cruelly persecuting the many, many Chinese who are now also reading and attempting to live by the words in that Good Book): "A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity".  That's the Bible: Proverbs 17: 17.   And here's something else, from the same book, Chapter 18: 24 - "A man that hath friends must show himself friendly; and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother".  - CM

"It may not be appropriate to strengthen and extend this military alliance", he said.

"Whether it suits the common interests of countries around the region and the whole international community remains under question".

I don't hear anyone else complaining about it, except you and the Muslims of Indonesia. - CM

'Mr Liu said he hoped the United States will match its actions with its words in terms of promises that it is not trying to rein in China.

That depends on what China intends toward its neighbours. - CM.

...

'Mr Obama...said he would welcome consultation with China.

"The notion that we fear China is mistaken.  The notion that we are looking to exclude China is mistaken", he said.

Having heard from the secular despots of China, we now hear from the Muslims of Indonesia. - CM

'Indonesia has also expressed concern about the decision to station US Marines in Australia.

'Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa warned it could provoke a negative reaction.

Any sign of Infidels fortifying themselves against potential Jihad from a Muslim entity next door, will be seen by Muslims as a threat and a 'provocation'. It's just the old 'resisting Jihad causes Jihad' canard. - CM

"What I would hate to see is if such developments were to provoke a reaction and counter-reactiion precisely to create that vicious circle of tensions and mistrust or distrust", he said...

Well, I don't know about PM Gillard, or FM Rudd, and I doubt Mr Obama distrusts you as much as he ought, but given what I know about Islam I certainly distrust you, Mr Muslim Indonesian, and I am very happy to have US Marines stationed on my back doorstep that faces over the very narrow strip of water which separates us from you.

And now for a few more details.  As given in the ABC's AM program, Ashley Hall and staff reporting.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-17/indonesian-foreign-minister-hopes-for-positive-result/3676902

'Indonesia voices concerns over Marines deal'.

'Indonesia's foreign minister, Marty Natalegawa, says he hopes plans to station thousands (thousands? 2500 is the largest number I've seen - CM) of US Marines on his country's southern doorstep do not lead to a tension and mistrust in the region.

They're not on his 'southern doorstep'. They are on Australia's back verandah - facing toward an Indonesia where jihad terror networks are proliferating, where churches are burning or being bombed, where non-Muslim minorities are under steadily escalating pressure from sharia-pushers, an Indonesia whose government looked the other way when the Lashkar Jihad massacred, force-'converted' and ethnically cleansed thousands of Christians in the Moluccas; the Indonesia that invaded East Timor and occupied it and presided over the deaths of some 200 000 Catholic and animist East Timorese, before it was forced to relinquish its ill-gotten ill-held gains.  Mistrust of such an entity is simply cold commonsense.  - CM

'Yesterday US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced plans to station up to 2,500 Marines in the Northern Territory by 2017.

'Mr Obama is scheduled to travel to Bali later today to meet with leaders from ASEAN and East Asian countries.

'Mr Natalegawa is hopeful the talks will be positive.

'But he has warned the decision to increase the US troop presence in Australia may not be seen favourably in the region.

'What I would hate to see iis that if such developments were to provoke reaction and counter reaction...a vicious circle of tensions and mistrust or distrust", he said.

Was that a threat?  It sure sounded like one.  - CM

"And that's why it's very important when decisions of this kind are taken, there is transparency of what the scenario being envisaged is...and that there is no misunderstanding as a result."

You want clarity?  Here is how it would be stated, if all the non-Muslim countries in the region understood what Islam is all about. "Any and all attempts by any Muslim entity or state to wage cross-border jihad against free non-Muslim lands in the vicinity will be defeated by all means necessary".  - CM

'Mr Natalegawa will ask the 18-member East Asia Summit to agree to a set of principles for strategic conduct in the region to help prevent misunderstanding and hostility.

A bit hard to prevent hostility in the case of the Muslim countries; their ideology inculcates hostility, contempt and aggression toward anything that is not-Islam. - CM

'Director of the Asia Pacific School of Economics and Government at the Australian National University, Andrew Macintryre, says the parties involved have a responsibility to contain the situation.

"The United States, China, Australia, Indonesia and everyone else in the region recognise we've got a huge interest in making sure the situation does not escalate dramatically over the coming years", he said.

How well do you understand the ideology of Jihad, Mr Macintyre? Have you read C Snouck Hurgronje? - CM

"And so there will be interest in finding ways to progressively reassure each other about strategic intentions and strategic capabilities.  but that's going to require a lot of careful diplomacy over the coming years."

'Mr Macintyre says the increase of American Marines on Australian soil won't drastically change Australian-Indonesian relations.  "It won't fundamentally change it", he said.

"Indonesia like everyone is concerned by developments in China.  Indonesia under this president and with this foreign minister (neither of whom will remain in position forever - CM) had a serious commitment to promoting regional peace and stability.

"So they will be uneasy about conspicuous moves to build up military capability in the region.  On the other hand, they'll understand exactly where this is coming from".

"The most likely scenario is China over the next several years feeling challenged by the reaction of the United States and its allies and partners and taking further measures to strengthen its own capabilities.

Ah yes, aggressive despotisms always feel threatened if anyone makes visible preparations against potential aggression from said despotisms.  And if no such preparations were made, those despotisms would cease to be aggressive? - CM

"That's the inherent danger of situations of this sort and the challenge for all of us is to make sure that doesn't escalate out of control".

Meanwhile, quite properly, Australia's Foreign Minister is digging in his toes.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-11-18/rudd-defiant-in-troops-row-with-china/3678526

'Rudd defiant in troops row with China'

'Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd says Australia will not back down from closer military ties with the US in the face of reservations from China.

'US President Barack Obama used his visit to Australia this week to announce plans to station thousands more US troops in northern Australia, backing that up with an uncompromising speech in which he said the US was committed to remaining a Pacific power and put China on notice over its human rights record.

'The Chinese government has questioned the appropriateness of the troops deal, saying Beijing would never enter into such an alliance.

'But Mr Rudd told 7.30 [that is, the 7.30 Report - CM] Australia would not be changing its position.

"Let's just be very blunt about it, we are not going to have our national security policy dictated by any other external power.  That's a sovereign matter for Australia", he said.

'We don't seek to dictate to the Chinese what their national security policy should be.  Therefore this must be advanced on the basis of mutual respect".

'He dismissed suggestions the arrangement with the US could make Australia a potential target if tensions flared in the South China Sea.

"It is simply imprudent and wrong to speculate publicly on what might or might not happen given strategic contingencies in the future" he said.

'The US-Australia military alliance is likely to be a key talking-point at the ASEAN summit in Bali from today, with Mr Obama expected to hold talks with Chinese premier Wen Jiabao on the sideline of the meeting".

If you click on the link to this third story, you will find that there are Comments, elicited by the Moderator's question - 'Can Australia maintain its relationship with China while increasing military ties with te US?".  There was a lot of discussion.  Most people seem alarmingly clueless  but one or two remarks are  of interest, for example, one 'cp' at the end of a long paragraph observes that "Darwin is a staging post, a battlement, if you like.." and then adds that "Australia's bilateral relations with Indonesia are faltering, and there is a return [or, more correctly, a turn - CM] to India".