Close U.S. ally Australia is boosting its military air power.<br/> <br />Canberra will buy 100 Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 Joint Strike Fighters - a lift for Lockheed which had faced design problems with the plane.<br/> <br />Until they are ready, Australia will purchase 12 Boeing electronic attack planes to shore up its air force as we as building 12 new submarines.<br/> <br />Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the new defence strategy Friday, striking a conciliatory tone towards China.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER JULIA GILLARD, SAYING:<br/> <br />"We welcome China's rise. We seek to have a comprehensive and constructive engagement with China. We work on that relationship, and of course I was in China very recently working on that relationship."<br/> <br />Australia appears to be seeking to balance the competing interests of the U.S. and China in the Asia Pacific region.<br/> <br />Some of China's regional neighbours -- such as U.S. ally Japan -- have been involved in increasing frictio
