US and Australia Sign Multiple Agreements, Citing ‘Coercive’ Behaviour by Beijing

Published on August 7, 2024

Top U.S. and Australian officials have concluded the latest AUSMIN meeting with the signing of multiple agreements and a clear message regarding China’s actions in the South China Sea. The four key officials responsible for the U.S.-Australia partnership include Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles. In a joint statement, they sent a stark warning that Beijing’s “destabilising actions including in the South China Sea and East China Sea increase tensions and undermine peace and stability” in the region....