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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles and Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator Penny Wong have confirmed they will attend the 34th Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) on 6 August in Annapolis, Maryland.
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As part of this year’s AUSMIN meetings, the deputy prime minister and foreign minister will meet their American counterparts, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III at a time of mounting geopolitical and strategic tensions across the globe.
Minister Marles said, “Australia’s alliance with the United States remains fundamental to our national security. We continue to work with the United States on ways to deepen and broaden our alliance, including through the longstanding US Force Posture Initiatives in Australia.”
The pair described AUSMIN as the “premier strategic forum for Australia and the United States” and sets the strategic direction for the alliance and bilateral partnership to build a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
Minister Senator Wong expanded on the comments of the deputy prime minister, saying, “Australia and the United States are finding new areas for cooperation and collaboration that will not only boost our own resilience and prosperity but will also deliver for a peaceful Indo-Pacific.”
The trilateral AUKUS submarine program is expected to figure strongly in the conversations, as all parties make steady progress on the delivery of Australia’s conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet.
The meeting is also expected to focus on strengthening the US Force Posture Initiatives in Australia including the Marine Rotational Force - Darwin (MRF-D) and US Air Force bomber rotations as well as additional preparations for Submarine Rotational Force - West (SRF-W) by 2027, which will see HMAS Stirling host a rotational presence of one UK and up to four US nuclear-powered submarines.
“This visit is an opportunity for action to take our alliance forward. Australia and the United States are committed to building a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region,” Senator Wong said.
SRF - West platforms will be rotated through HMAS Stirling in Western Australia and will not be permanently based in Australia. The US bilateral elements of SRF - West will be implemented under the existing US-Australian Force Posture Agreement, while UK participation in SRF-West will be enabled through separate arrangements.
