Washington: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth hosted Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, marking 40 years of joint AUSMIN consultations.
According to Kuwait News Agency, they both agreed to build on the historic October 2025 leaders' meeting between President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The Secretaries and Ministers committed to a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing the safety, security, and prosperity of both countries and the broader Indo-Pacific region.
The Principals emphasized promoting a free and open Indo-Pacific, recognizing growing threats to regional peace. They committed to new joint efforts to promote regional stability and security, building resilience against economic coercion and promoting growth through a free and fair economic order. These efforts will be advanced with regional partners through initiatives such as the Quad Leaders' Summit and Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
Australia and the United States are enhancing their coordination on strategic critical infrastructure investments in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with Australia working alongside the United States, the Philippines, and Japan on the Luzon Economic Corridor. They are also partnering with Papua New Guinea on digital infrastructure, including investments in the Coral Sea Cable and Digicel Pacific, and economic development projects in Lae.
The United States has committed to strengthening disaster management capabilities in partnership with Australia as a demonstration of continued commitment to Papua New Guinea. Additionally, the US and Australia are exploring opportunities to support the development of trusted ICT networks across the Indo-Pacific, including the completion of the Vaka Submarine Cable to Tuvalu, a project funded with partners including Taiwan, New Zealand, and Japan.
The two nations are also set to expand trilateral cooperation with Japan on training and sharing data on air and missile defense threats, while continuing maritime cooperative activities in the South China Sea with the Philippines and other partners. Furthermore, they committed to increased cooperation to combat transnational crime and enhance cyber security efforts in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
Looking forward to the 75th anniversary of the ANZUS Treaty in 2026, the Principals reaffirmed the importance of the US-Australia Alliance and committed to accelerating joint defense initiatives and industrial base integration. Significant investments and cooperation on defense capabilities are highlighted, along with advancements in force posture cooperation including infrastructure works at key Australian air force bases to support US military rotations.
Australia's investment in the US submarine industrial base is set to reach USD 2 billion, supporting expanded production capacity and the development of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines. The establishment of various force posture and logistics networks in Australia underscores the deepening military collaboration between the two allies.
The Principals also agreed to expand efforts to secure critical mineral supply chains, building on the Critical Minerals Framework signed by President Trump and Prime Minister Albanese. They welcomed Alcoa's progress towards gallium production in 2026, a project with joint investment from Japan to diversify supply chains for the defense sector.