July 28, 2020
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of
Defense Mark Esper hosted Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne and
Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds on July 28 in Washington for the
30th Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN 2020).
During their discussions, the Secretaries and Ministers built on
Prime Minister Morrison’s historic official visit to Washington in
September 2019, which demonstrated what President Trump has called the
“long, cherished, and unwavering friendship between the United States
and Australia.” More than a century since we first fought side-by-side,
80 years after the United States and Australia established diplomatic
relations, and 68 years since the formation of our Alliance, our shared
commitment to freedom and democracy remains unbreakable.
Indo-Pacific Recovery
The Secretaries and Ministers discussed the devastating impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic and resolved to strengthen cooperation to support our
collective recovery and foster a post-COVID-19 world where all
countries prosper as sovereign States.
Secretaries and Ministers noted the need to strengthen global efforts
to prevent and mitigate future health crises and pandemics and
reaffirmed their commitment to bilateral health security cooperation,
with a focus on the Indo-Pacific, in line with the release of the AUSMIN
Global Health Security Statement. They noted the World Health Assembly
resolution on identifying the zoonotic origin of the virus and
evaluating the World Health Organization-coordinated international
health response, and reaffirmed their commitment to facilitating timely
and broad deployment of affordable, safe, and effective COVID-19
vaccines and therapeutics, including to support a response in the
Indo-Pacific region.
The Secretaries and Ministers reaffirmed that the Indo-Pacific is the
focus of the Alliance and that the United States and Australia are
working side-by-side, including with ASEAN, India, Japan, the Republic
of Korea, and Five Eyes partners, to strengthen our networked structure
of alliances and partnerships to maintain a region that is secure,
prosperous, inclusive, and rules-based. They also reaffirmed that
women’s security and meaningful economic and political participation in
line with the Women, Peace, and Security agenda and women’s economic
empowerment is key to achieving these goals.
The United States and Australia reaffirmed their commitment to a
stable, secure open, and prosperous Pacific, and recognized the
immediate and ongoing impact of COVID-19 on economies in the region. The
two sides recognized Australia’s Partnerships for Recovery as setting
out a framework for supporting the region’s recovery and welcomed the
U.S. government’s commitment of over $118 million in funding to support
the COVID-19 response in the Pacific Islands.
The United States and Australia recognized the important role of the
Pacific Islands Forum and the Pacific Community (SPC) in helping
mitigate the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the
region. They committed to supporting the Forum’s Pacific Humanitarian
Pathway for COVID-19, including funding for the UN World Food Programme
Pacific Humanitarian Air Service to operationalize the Pathway
(Australia has contributed AUD$3 million, and the United States has
committed to contributing US$5 million). They underlined their support
for the SPC’s regional work on health and economic impacts, which will
be important for the region’s economic recovery.
The Secretaries and Ministers also committed to working to support
the Pacific's economic stability and recovery, including through advice
and budget support for Pacific Island countries and high-quality
infrastructure investment, such as under the Papua New Guinea
Electrification Partnership and the proposed undersea cable for Palau
that will connect to the U.S. International Development Finance
Corporation-supported trans-Pacific cable. Working with the United
States, the Government of Palau, and other partners including Japan,
Australia has already invested in the marine survey and branching unit
that will allow the Palau cable to come to fruition.
Indo-Pacific Security
The Secretaries and Ministers noted that the pandemic has reduced
States’ resilience to shocks and created incentives for some actors to
pursue strategic gains in ways that undermine the rules-based
international order and regional stability.
The United States and Australia expressed deep concern about the
People’s Republic of China (PRC) government’s efforts to undermine the
“One Country, Two Systems” framework and to erode Hong Kong’s autonomy
and freedoms in violation of its obligations under the Sino-British
Joint Declaration. In particular, the principals expressed deep concern
at the imposition of sweeping and vague “national security” legislation
on Hong Kong that has imperiled the rule of law and undermined the
rights to freedom of expression, including for members of the press, and
to peaceful assembly. The Secretaries and Ministers noted that both the
United States and Australia are taking steps to suspend their
respective extradition treaties with Hong Kong as a result of the PRC’s
actions and announced mechanisms to admit Hong Kong residents to our
countries. They also reiterated their support for the people of Hong
Kong to be able to elect Legislative Council representatives via a
genuinely free and fair election, which is credible and peaceful, on
September 6.
The United States and Australia expressed deep concern over the PRC’s
campaign of repression of Uyghurs and members of other minority groups
in Xinjiang, including mass detentions, forced labor, pervasive
surveillance, restrictions on freedom of religion, and reports of forced
abortions and involuntary birth control.
The Secretaries and Ministers re-affirmed Taiwan’s important role in
the Indo-Pacific region as well as their intent to maintain strong
unofficial ties with Taiwan and to support Taiwan’s membership in
international organizations where statehood is not a prerequisite. Where
statehood is a prerequisite for membership, both sides support Taiwan’s
meaningful participation as an observer or guest. The United States and
Australia highlighted that recent events only strengthened their
resolve to support Taiwan. They reiterated that any resolution of
cross-Strait differences should be peaceful and according to the will of
the people on both sides, without resorting to threats or coercion.
They also committed to enhancing donor coordination with Taiwan, with a
focus on development assistance to Pacific Island countries.
The Secretaries and Ministers expressed serious concerns over recent
coercive and destabilizing actions across the Indo-Pacific. In line with
the 2016 decision of the Arbitral Tribunal, they affirmed that
Beijing’s maritime claims are not valid under international law.
Specifically, they affirmed that the PRC cannot assert maritime claims
in the South China Sea based on the “nine-dash line,” “historic rights,”
or entire South China Sea island groups, which are incompatible with
the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They noted
that the 2016 Arbitral Award is final and binding on both parties and
emphasized that all claims in the South China Sea must be made and
resolved in accordance with international law. They also expressed their
support for the rights of claimants to lawfully exploit offshore
resources, including in relation to long-standing oil and gas projects
as well as fisheries in the South China Sea, free from harassment and
coercion. They welcomed the recent ASEAN Leaders statement that a South
China Sea Code of Conduct should be consistent with UNCLOS, and
emphasized that any Code should not prejudice the rights or interests of
States under international law or undermine existing regional
architecture, and should strengthen the commitment of parties not to
engage in actions that complicate or escalate disputes, notably
militarization of disputed features.
The United States and Australia reaffirmed the significant role of
the United Nations and other key international organizations, especially
specialized agencies and standards-setting bodies, in delivering
outcomes vital to our shared security, interests, values, and
prosperity. They pledged to deepen cooperation to promote consistent and
fair processes for elections of qualified, meritorious candidates for
leadership positions in these bodies and to pursue meaningful reforms to
ensure international organizations are accountable to Member States and
free from undue influence.
They affirmed that state-sponsored malicious disinformation and
interference in democratic processes are significant and evolving
threats, with both countries recently joining a cross-regional statement
pledging to combat the “infodemic” that has accompanied the COVID-19
pandemic. They plan to continue to counter these threats vigorously,
including through collaboration with international partners, and through
a new working group between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
and the Department of State, which will monitor and respond to
disinformation efforts.
The United States and Australia share the view that malicious
behavior in cyberspace can undermine the national security and economic
prosperity of States. The principals expressed deep concern that the
targeting of intellectual property and sensitive business information,
including information relating to the development of vaccines and
treatments for pandemic response, presents an increasing threat to the
global economy, and they committed to holding malicious actors
accountable.
Both sides reaffirmed that allowing high-risk vendors that are
subject to extrajudicial directions from a foreign government to supply
5G network equipment or build telecommunications cables creates
unacceptable risks to national security, critical infrastructure, and
privacy. The principals noted the role of 5G network security best
practices, such as the Prague Proposals, and expressed their intent to
work with like-minded partners to develop end-to-end technical solutions
for 5G that use trusted vendors. Acknowledging that 5G is only the
starting point, the two nations also reaffirm their commitment to
lifting the security of critical and emerging technologies that will be
vital to our nations’ prosperity.
The Secretaries and Ministers called on the PRC to be transparent and
to negotiate in good faith with the United States and Russia on
limitations on nuclear weapons as well as measures to reduce risk and
build confidence. They recalled obligations under the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty to pursue negotiations in good faith on
effective measures relating to nuclear disarmament.
The Secretaries and Ministers affirmed their support for U.S.-DPRK
denuclearization negotiations and their commitment to fully implement
sanctions against North Korea to counter the threat to security and
regional stability posed by North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile
programs.
The United States and Australia reaffirmed their commitment to
cooperation on counterterrorism. Both sides are proud of the
achievements under the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (Da’esh) and in
the Indo-Pacific region. They committed to continue to work together
with Indo-Pacific partner countries to mitigate any impacts of COVID-19
on exacerbating the regional terrorist threat environment and to support
regional counter-terrorism partner countries in addressing these
threats, including any potential movement of foreign terrorist fighters
within the region.
Regional Coordination
The United States and Australia reaffirmed their commitment to
Trilateral dialogues with Japan and Quad consultations with Japan and
India. The Secretaries and Ministers look forward to further ministerial
meetings in these fora. They reaffirmed their strong support for ASEAN,
ASEAN-led regional architecture, and ASEAN’s Outlook on the
Indo-Pacific, and applauded Vietnam, as current ASEAN Chair, for its
leadership of ASEAN in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic. They
underscored the role of the East Asia Summit as the region's premier
leaders-led forum for addressing political and security challenges. They
welcomed and acknowledged the role of APEC, as the premier economic
forum in the region, in strengthening the region’s resilience to future
economic shocks and addressing health-related threats, particularly
infectious diseases, to trade and investment in the region.
Indo-Pacific Prosperity
The United States and Australia plan to continue to mobilize private
sector investment throughout the Indo-Pacific to deliver high-quality,
resilient infrastructure and natural resource projects in partner
countries that adhere to international standards and best practices on
the rule of law, sovereignty, and free-market principles. The United
States and Australia updated their development cooperation Memorandum of
Understanding, committing to build the stability, prosperity, and
resilience of the Indo-Pacific. The United States and Australia also
committed to uphold robust standards for development and infrastructure
assistance and to avoid burdening recipients with unsustainable debt.
They called on all G20 Members and their official creditor agencies to
follow through on their G20 commitments under the Debt Service
Suspension Initiative and provide debt relief to eligible countries that
request forbearance. Recognizing the vital role multilateral
development banks (MDBs) play in regional economic development, the two
sides intend to work with likeminded shareholders to ensure effective
and transparent implementation of MDB procurement frameworks and
policies that emphasize value for money and quality over lowest-price
bids and seek to multiply the development benefits by encouraging
domestic capacity development and increased opportunities for SMEs in
the borrowing country.
The United States and Australia continue to prioritize close and
continuing cooperation on supply-chain diversification and resilience,
particularly for essential medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, critical
technologies, and critical minerals. They welcomed the announcement that
Lynas has signed a Phase 1 contract with the U.S. Department of Defense
for an engineering and market feasibility study for the design of a
heavy rare earth separation facility in the United States. Both
countries remain committed to working with like-minded partners to
support continued access to critical goods and services. The principals
reaffirmed their nations’ openness to an open exchange of views,
exploration of new approaches to diversification, and the maintenance of
reliable and secure supply chains.
In particular, the Secretaries and Ministers welcomed the continued
development of a U.S.-Australia Critical Minerals Plan of Action to
improve the security of critical minerals in the United States and
Australia. Recognizing the impact of market-distorting practices by
near-monopoly suppliers of critical minerals, including attempts to
drive out competitors and deter new market entrants, principals plan to
progress options to support new investment in the sector to diversify
supply chains, and to consider work with like-minded partners to develop
international standards on critical minerals.
Bilateral Defense Cooperation
The United States and Australia are determined to strengthen defense
cooperation, including on force posture, and acknowledged that the
presence of U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific has been vital to preserving
the region’s security and prosperity for 75 years. They signed a
classified Statement of Principles on Alliance Defense Cooperation and
Force Posture Priorities in the Indo-Pacific. The Statement establishes a
bilateral Force Posture Working Group to develop recommendations that
will advance force-posture cooperation in the Indo-Pacific to promote a
secure and stable region and deter coercive acts and the use of force.
The Secretaries and Ministers discussed practical ways to strengthen
our ability to address a range of challenges in a more contested
Indo-Pacific, from countering malign gray-zone tactics to deterring
aggression in the region. They recognized Australia’s 2020 Defence
Strategic Update and Force Structure Plan further builds Australia’s
contribution to the Alliance by investing in a more agile, potent, and
self-reliant Australian Defence Force. Australia’s sharper regional
Indo-Pacific focus will allow the Australian Defence Force to make its
strongest contribution to shared security interests in the Indo-Pacific,
be better able to project military power, and deter destabilizing
actions at a longer range.
The Secretaries and Ministers emphasized the importance of ensuring
that our enhanced defense engagement and capacity building, especially
with partners in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, are closely coordinated
to avoid duplication and to maximize their impact in protecting
sovereignty and building resilience.
Following this year’s cooperative naval activity between HMAS
Parramatta and the USS America Expeditionary Strike Group in the South
China Sea, the principals committed to pursue increased and regularized
maritime cooperation in the region, as well as the Indian Ocean,
bilaterally and in concert with other likeminded and regional partners.
They were pleased Australia and the United States proceeded with the
Marine Rotational Force-Darwin rotation this year, despite COVID-19
challenges. Discussions also included the potential expansion of Marine
Rotational Force-Darwin joint training exercises to include additional
partners and allies to bolster regional relationships and capabilities.
The two sides recognized that the operational effectiveness of the
Alliance relies increasingly on secure supply chains to support our
combined capability and readiness.
In a significant step toward strengthening the resilience of our
supply chains, the United States and Australia intend to establish a
U.S. funded commercially operated strategic military fuel reserve in
Darwin.
The United States and Australia also determined to advance
initiatives that diversify and harness our industry cooperation,
including further pursuing options that enable greater maintenance,
repair, overhaul, and upgrade of U.S. military platforms and components
in Australia to further strengthen our supply chain resilience in the
Indo-Pacific.
Acknowledging the unique role of technology and our respective
industries in the U.S.-Australia defense partnership to maintain our
competitive edge, the Secretaries and Ministers reaffirmed their
commitment to closely collaborate and encourage bilateral defense trade
to promote interoperability, and to pursue cooperation in defense
innovation. As an example, they welcomed that over 50 Australian
companies were contributing to the global F-35 program. They welcomed
Australia’s inclusion in the U.S. National Technology Industrial Base
and committed to work to reduce barriers to industrial base integration,
including Australian participation in U.S. supply chains. In addition,
they noted the ongoing collaboration through the AUS-U.S. Defense Trade
Working Group is expected to identify and help resolve defense trade
issues of mutual concern, including on export controls, thus
facilitating cooperation and strengthening our respective industrial
bases and collaboration into the future.
The Secretaries and Ministers recognized an interest in strengthening
the mutual security and prosperity of the United States and Australia
through investment in technology, innovation, and research to develop
new industries, drive economic growth, and enhance readiness. The
Secretaries and Ministers affirmed the value of bilateral collaboration
on issues including hypersonics, integrated air and missile defense,
electronic and undersea warfare, space, cyber, critical minerals, and
other technologies.
The United States and Australia also have a rich history of
collaboration on civilian science, technology, and innovation, and
welcome the fifth U.S.-Australia Joint Commission Meeting on Science and
Technology Cooperation in 2020. Building off the 2019 Joint Statement
of Intent between the Australian Space Agency and NASA, the principals
expressed their support for expanding space exploration cooperation
under the Artemis program and committed to finalizing a bilateral Space
Framework Agreement as soon as possible, including to support NASA’s
mission to put the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024, as well
as broader space collaboration between the nations.
Australia looks forward to hosting the next AUSMIN in 2021.
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