Washington, May 14: The United States and Australia are looking forward to doing a great deal more through the Quad collaboration, top diplomats from the two countries said here as they discussed China in their talks.
“Our countries are working with India and Japan to advance a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific,” US Secretary of State Tony Blinken said at a joint news conference on Thursday with visiting Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne.
“We’re tackling big, complex challenges, like ensuring international law is respected in the East and South China Seas, and increasing global access to safe, effective vaccines for COVID-19,” he said.
“President (Joe) Biden was very proud to host the first-ever leaders’ summit of the Quad back in March; we look forward to doing a great deal more through the collaboration among our countries in the months and years ahead,” Blinken said.
Payne said discussions were held over Australia’s relationship with China.
“Australia seeks a constructive relationship with China. We stand ready at any time, amongst all of my counterparts and colleagues, to resume dialogue,” she added.
Asserting that the US will stand by Australia in its worsening trade and other disputes with China, the Secretary of State said, “I reiterated that the United States will not leave Australia alone on the field – or maybe I should say alone on the pitch – in the face of economic coercion by China.”
“That’s what allies do,” Blinken added.
Payne welcomed the expression of support.
“We welcome the clear expressions of support from Washington as Australia works through those differences. It is hard to think of a truer expression of friendship,” she said.
Like the United States and China, Australia and China are in the midst of several major disputes as Beijing seeks to apply pressure over commerce and influence
The two diplomats also jointly called upon the Myanmar military to allow the democratically elected government to return to power. (PTI)
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