China’s “dangerous and coercive” presence in the Indo-Pacific has been called out as Australia and the US vowed to increase military co-operation between the two nations, with Japan also invited to join joint military activities.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles met with their US counterparts in Washington DC for the Australia-US Ministerial talks.
It’s the first meeting to take place since the Albanese government was elected in May.
At a joint press conference, neither Mr Marles or Senator Wong signalled China out by name.
But US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin did not hold back from calling China the greatest threat to stability in the Indo Pacific.
“China’s dangerous and coercive actions throughout the Indo-Pacific, including around Taiwan, toward the Pacific island countries and in the East and South China Seas, threaten regional peace and stability,“ he said.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised the “extraordinary” job of Australia in standing up to China’s economic coercion.
He insisted the Biden administration would “not leave Australia alone on the pitch”.
“We reaffirm that we would stand with them against these pressure tactics,” Mr Blinken said.
Also in Washington on Wednesday was former prime minister Scott Morrison.
Appearing at the Hudson Institute at the invitation of his “dear friend” Mike Pompeo, Mr Morrison warned China risked “mutually assured destruction” over Taiwan.
He suggested conflict could result in the collapse in financial markets and supply chains seizing up.
“China has an enormous amount to lose by getting it wrong, which gives pause for thought,” he said.
“There is a mutually assured destruction when it comes to questions regarding Taiwan.
“And I don’t believe everyone is prepared to risk everything in China on that issue.”
The former prime minister was recently appointed as a member of the strategic advisory board at the think tank’s China centre.
His comments came just hours before the US agreed to increase the rotational presence of air, land and sea forces in Australia.
Under the new agreement, Japan would also be invited to integrate into “force posture initiatives” in Australia.
“It is a great outcome of today’s meeting that we can go to Japan at the end of this week with an invitation for Japan to participate in more exercises with Australia and the United States,” Mr Marles said.
The AUSMIN meeting comes ahead of a government decision on whether it will adopt the US or UK model of nuclear submarine under the AUKUS alliance.
Mr Austin said it was the US goal to design a optimal pathway for Australia to acquire the submarines “as quickly as possible”.
“We recognise where Australia is and when its capability begins to diminish … We will not allow Australia to have a capability gap going forward,” he said.
