‘You want to write that': Wong dodges question on AUKUS doubts
Wong met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio one-on-one as part of the Quad foreign leaders' gathering – which includes Indo-Pacific allies India and Japan – on Wednesday (AEST) amid uncertainty about Australia's future maritime defence and trade relationship with the US.
She said Rubio expressed regret that Trump had to cancel a planned meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at last month's G7 summit in Canada due to the crisis in the Middle East, and both governments looked forward to a rescheduled meeting in future.
Wong said she and Rubio had a 'good discussion' about AUKUS and its benefits for all three parties.
But when asked whether Rubio had guaranteed the agreement would go ahead, she did not answer directly.
'I think we both understand the importance to both our countries and to the United Kingdom,' Wong said.
'We understand the administration is going to engage in the review. That is not surprising. The United Kingdom did so. This is a multi-decade partnership. It will take governments and administrations of both persuasions over many years to deliver.'
The Pentagon is undertaking a strategic review of the AUKUS pact, which was struck under the previous Biden administration, to see if it aligns with Trump's 'America First' approach.
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