- Senator the Hon Marise Payne, Minister for Foreign Affairs
- Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC, Minister for Defence
We will travel to the United States to attend the 2020 Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) in Washington on 28 July, at the invitation of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Mark Esper.
AUSMIN has long served as the annual, principal forum for Australia-US cooperation on strategic, foreign and defence policy.
This 30th AUSMIN meeting comes at a critical time, amid significant strategic challenges, and a global pandemic with far-reaching social and economic impacts. Our relationship is built on our shared values, and a shared understanding of the importance of maintaining presence and leadership in our region.
In the face of an increasingly complex and contested regional environment, it is vital we continue working together across the breadth of our relationship.
Discussions at AUSMIN 2020 will centre on our shared efforts towards a stable, resilient, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific, particularly in the context of the impact of COVID-19.
We will focus on how both our nations can best work together to respond to immense health, economic and security challenges.
We will continue to make progress on our priorities, including investing in infrastructure in the region, countering disinformation, standing up for human rights, and strengthening science and technology cooperation.
We will also discuss deepening defence cooperation in alignment with Australia’s Defence Strategic Update and Force Structure Plan.
Our Alliance with the United States is at the core of Australia’s defence and security planning, and we look forward to progressing cooperation across the defence relationship, including on regional activities, defence industry and force posture.
We deeply value our close people-to-people links and our strong trade and investment relationship.
The United States remains by far Australia’s largest source of foreign investment, with two-way investment reaching A$1.8 trillion last year.
We have engaged extensively with our US counterparts through secure telephone and video conversations during the pandemic. It is essential we continue our most important and complex international engagements face-to-face, to address strategic challenges and advance our shared interests in a secure, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
All aspects of this visit will be conducted with strict adherence to safety and health measures to mitigate COVID-19 risks.
Upon return to Australia, we will follow all health requirements, including 14 days’ quarantine.
