Morrison has given a speech to the Australian American Leadership Dialogue. Some excerpts. After opening Morrison moves pretty quickly to the pandemic. The PM rather pointedly says Australia is the "partner of choice" for the Pacific when it comes to supplying vaccines 1/
Now defence cooperation. Morrison reiterates that Australia wants to build capacity to produce more advanced weapons, using US tech. He says this will also be valuable to the US because Australia can be a "second, secure source of supply" for it 2/
Morrison- "we're investing our wealth and treasure to make Australia stronger so we can be ready to defend our nation and a rules-based order in our region" (the use of "treasure" is a key tell that this is for a US audience) 3/
Climate change. Morrison quite animated. Makes several arguments he made yesterday. The US has been contemplating following the EU and introducing a border carbon tax (though Kerry has sounded very lukewarm on it more recently) - Morrison makes it clear Australia opposes that 4/
Morrison again says China produces more carbon emissions than OECD nations combined. Says this is not a criticism of Beijing, but a simple fact and countries like the US and Australia have to help developing nations make the transition to new technology 5/
Incidentally, and apropos of nothing, Morrison is reading Zoellick's book, apparently 6/
Interesting. Morrison refers to the economic coercion Australia has faced (he doesn't actually name China here but of course it's crystal clear) and says the episode highlights why the US and Australia should establish a Strategic Economic Dialogue for top officials 7/
I *think* this is the first time this idea has been publicly floated. No further details from Morrison about how it would work, but the framing is pretty clear. Interesting. 8/
Morrison finishes with some familiar points, including those he made at Cornwall - the need to tackle WTO reform, the need to demonstrate that liberal democracy works, the need to "support, defend and renovate" the international order 9/
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
This is beginning now. Fairly grim opening. The FM says "we are probably experiencing the most massive, brutal and opportunistic military campaign of violence and terror, by the Taliban, in the history of our country" 1/
Even more grim. The FM says the country is grappling with compounding crises. Struggling not just with the Taliban assaults but also a terrible drought and the COVID-19 pandemic. He estimates around 18 million people need humanitarian assistance 2/
The FM says foreign fighters and terrorists are assisting the Taliban. They include fighters who are "globally focussed" (Al Qaeda) and others who are more "locally focussed" (LeT) He says there are implications for the whole region and the globe 3/
Thread. Pacific Islands Forum leaders met this morning. Some excerpts. Tuvalu PM and outgoing chair Kausea Natano began with appeal for unity, but I think the only Micronesian nation which (briefly) attended the opening session was Nauru 1/
Next is Fiji PM Frank Bainimarama who recognises Samoa's new PM Fiame Naomi Mataʻafa- "a warm welcome to you Madam Prime Minister, it is always a proud moment when a daughter of the Pacific ascends to high office." Says she didn't have an "easy passage" to office (no kidding) 2/
Interesting. Bainimarama offers full apology to Micronesian nations splitting from PIF- "to our Micronesian brothers I offer my deepest apologies. We could have handled the situation better." Of course, almost none of them are actually present to receive this apology. Still. 3/
Tehan, Albanese, Wong, Payne all speaking today at an Australia China Business Council event. Albanese + Wong both walking a careful line. Wong says there will be enduring differences between Australia and China, partly because they are - in some instances - structural 1/
Wong and Albanese both say Australia cannot compromise on its values when dealing with China. But they also say it's still critical to pursue engagement. Albanese suggests the Government's language has been clumsy at times- "we need to be diplomatic in how we deal with China" 2/
Albanese also says it's a shame the Government rejected his suggestion (in January) to recruit Rudd and Howard to try to break the ice with China - "it's a pity that was rejected it was constructive suggestion" 3/ afr.com/politics/feder…
Japan's Ambassador to Australia @YamagamiShingo and US Chargé d'Affaires Mike Goldman speaking at the @ASPI_org conference right now. @YamagamiShingo opens very promisingly, saying "I would like to speak my mind" (journos love these words) 1/
The Ambassador starts with yesterday's 2 +2 meeting of Japanese and Australian Defence and Foreign Ministers. He says the meeting - and the subsequent statement issued by both countries - were "wide ranging and historic" 2/
The Ambassador says the joint statement shows that "Australia is not walking alone." He points directly to clause six which says both nations "commit to opposing coercion and destabilising behaviour by economic means." He does not use the C word. 3/
Australia and Japan issue a wide-ranging joint statement in the wake of the 2+2 meeting of Defence and Foreign Ministers. Here's the paragraph on the East China Sea - I think this is the first time there's been a direct reference to Taiwan in an Aus-Japan statement 1/
(Although worth noting that Japan has recently been more willing to reference Taiwan in joint statements, so this is not exceptional - for eg there were references to the recent Japan-US and Japan-EU statements) 2/
Point 6 also jumps out - "we commit to opposing coercion and destabilising behaviour by economic means, which undermines the rules-based international system" 3/
OK. Morrison has delivered his foreign policy speech in Perth ahead of the G7. Now there's a q and a with @lgflake - I'll tweet excerpts of the exchange. Flake opens up with a question on the "hydrogen hubs" proposed by the Fed Govt 1/
Morrison calls hydrogen "one of the biggest game changers into new energy economy." He agrees there is a global shift to low emissions technology but says the commercial sector - and its technological innovations -will drive that shift 2/
Flake asks about the Quad. Morrison says the Quad "is not a group or a club seeking to compete" and (yet again) says that ASEAN remains at the heart of the Qaud's vision of the region, and "we need to keep on reassuring the region this is what it's about" 3/