Ministerial talks on foreign affairs and defense between the United States and Australia were held, and it was confirmed that cooperation will be strengthened in a wide range of fields such as security and economy in order to counter China.
The first US-Australia foreign and defense ministerial talks, the so-called "2 plus 2", will be held by Secretary of State Blinken and Secretary of Defense Austin from the US side, and Foreign Minister Payne and Defense Minister Dutton from the Australian side. Attendance was held on the 16th in Washington, the capital of the United States.
At a joint press conference after the meeting, Secretary Brinken emphasized the significance of the new security framework called "AUKUS" that was announced the day before in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. We will further deepen our cooperation on security, including strengthening joint capabilities and interoperability in important fields such as cyber and AI. "
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Payne said, "Australia and the United States will continue to seek new ways to cooperate in the region based on our values and interests," and strengthened cooperation in a wide range of fields such as security and economy. He revealed that he had confirmed that he would go.
The two countries will share the technology of extremely confidential nuclear submarines under the new security framework, and are trying to further strengthen the alliance.
In the background, it seems that the United States, which needs more cooperation from Australia to counter China, and Australia, which is becoming more cautious about China's threat, have agreed.