US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US Defense Secretary Mark Esper have used the annual bilateral Ausmin summit to speak out strongly about the US commitment to the Pacific and against what they described as aggressive, destabilising behaviour by China in the region.
Mr Pompeo told reporters in Sydney today the time was “right for the US and Australia to do much more together in the region and beyond”.
“Let me be clear, the US is a Pacific nation,” Mr Pompeo said.
“We care deeply about that. We’re here to stay and we want all Australians to know they can always rely on the United States of America. Just as we talk of Britain as a special relationship, we think of this as an unbreakable relationship.”
Mr Esper described the Indo-Pacific region as the “priority theatre” for the US and warned China against “predatory” economic and other aggressive behaviour seeking to extend its influence among island states.
“We firmly believe no one nation can or should dominate the Indo-Pacific,” Mr Esper said.
“We also stand firmly against a disturbing pattern of aggressive behaviour, destabilising behaviour, from China.”
Mr Pompeo also pressed Washington’s request that Australia join America in confronting Iran by providing security for shipping trade in the Strait of Hormuz.
Read the article by Brad Norington in The Australian.