Australia has pledged to increase defence cooperation with the US in the South China Sea – but stopped short of making any specific new commitment on freedom of navigation operations after the AUSMIN talks in the US between the two countries Foreign and Defence Ministers.
Australia made it clear it had is own policy on China and had “no intention of injuring its relationship” with Beijing. Australia would act in its own interests.
The two allies have also decided to set up a working group to push back at false information across the Indo-Pacific region, warning that “state-sponsored malicious disinformation and interference in democratic processes are significant and evolving threats”.
