‘We make our own decisions': Matt Thistlethwaite snaps back at US official's demand for Australia to outline role in Taiwan conflict
The UK's Financial Times reported over the weekend that US under-secretary of defence for policy Elbridge Colby had been pressuring Australian and Japanese officials to outline the role they would play if a conflict between the US and China broke out over Taiwan.
The demand has been defended by Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell, who said it was "a simple fact that our allies must also do their part".
"We do not seek war. What we are doing is ensuring the United States and its allies have the military strength to underwrite diplomacy and guarantee peace," he said.
Responding on Monday, Assistant Foreign Minister Matt Thistlewaite said any decisions about a future conflict between the US and China would be made by the government of the day.
'Decisions such as that are made by the Australian Government. We act in our national interests. We are a sovereign nation, and we make our own decisions,' the Labor MP told Sky News Australia First Edition host Peter Stefanovic.
Mr Thistlethwaite said the Albanese government wanted to see a 'peaceful, stable region which benefits all'.
'We're trying to make sure that it maintains peace and stability. That's the whole purpose of the way that the government operates in international relations,' he said.
Under-secretary Colby is a high-profile sceptic of selling Australia nuclear submarines and is undertaking a review of the AUKUS agreement that makes the transfer of the nuclear submarine technology possible.
Mr Colby responded to the reports in the Financial Times in a post on X, claiming he was implementing the President's agenda of 'restoring deterrence and achieving peace through strength', adding that it included 'urging allies to step up their defense spending and other efforts related to our collective defence'.
'This has been a hallmark of President Trump's strategy - in Asia as in Europe where it has already been tremendously successful,' he said.
'Of course, some among our allies might not welcome frank conversations. But many, now led by NATO after the historic Hague Summit, are seeing the urgent need to step up and are doing so.
'President Trump has shown the approach and the formula - and we will not be deterred from advancing his agenda.'
Taiwan functions as a de-facto independent country, officially the Republic of China.
However the Chinese Communist Party maintains the island nation is part of the People's Republic of China, and Taiwan's leaders have not officially declared independence.
Publicly outlining the role Australia would play would signal an end to the policy of 'strategic ambiguity' both Australia and the United States have long maintained when it comes to Taiwan.
Asked about Mr Colby's comments on Sunday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stressed that Australia did not support 'any unilateral action' when it came to Taiwan.
'We support the status quo when it comes to Taiwan. We don't support any unilateral action there. We have a clear position and we have been consistent about that,' he said.
'We want peace and security in our region. We don't want any change to the status quo. That's Australia's position today. That was Australia's decision last week.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
27 minutes ago
- West Australian
‘Brown-noser': Crass statue appears outside Richard Marles electoral office in Geelong
A crass piece of political art has accused Richard Marles of being 'Australia's biggest brown-noser' as the defence minister signed a 50-year treaty alongside his UK counterpart. The installation, outside Mr Marles electoral office in Geelong, depicted a large nose with an apparent fecal smear. Affixed to a light post by chain, the work is attributed to The New Radicals and names Mr Marles. The protest art comes as Mr Marles signed a new five-decade treaty with the United Kingdom to cement the AUKUS submarine pact in his home city. Dubbed 'The Geelong Treaty', the defence minister said the agreement would enable co-operation on the SSN-Aukus submarine. 'In doing this, AUKUS will see 20,000 jobs in Australia. It will see, in building submarines in this country, the biggest industrial endeavour in our nation's history, bigger even than the Snowy Hydro scheme,' Mr Marles said. 'In military terms, what it will deliver is the biggest leap in Australia's military capability, really, since the formation of the navy back in 1913.' The new treaty was announced following the annual AUKMIN talks in Sydney on Friday. Alongside his counterpart, UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey, the two men celebrated the treaty with a beer at a Geelong brewery. Spotted in Geelong's CBD on Saturday afternoon, the piece has vanished by 5pm.
Perth Now
27 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Crass statue pops up as UK defence pact signed
A crass piece of political art has accused Richard Marles of being 'Australia's biggest brown-noser' as the defence minister signed a 50-year treaty alongside his UK counterpart. The installation, outside Mr Marles electoral office in Geelong, depicted a large nose with an apparent fecal smear. Affixed to a light post by chain, the work is attributed to The New Radicals and names Mr Marles. A piece of protest art was left in the Geelong CBD labelling Richard Marles "Australia's biggest brown-noser" on the day of the signing of the Geelong treaty. Picture X / @maximum_chips Credit: Supplied The art was cleaned up promptly and gone by 5pm. Supplied Credit: Supplied The protest art comes as Mr Marles signed a new five-decade treaty with the United Kingdom to cement the AUKUS submarine pact in his home city. Dubbed 'The Geelong Treaty', the defence minister said the agreement would enable co-operation on the SSN-Aukus submarine. 'In doing this, AUKUS will see 20,000 jobs in Australia. It will see, in building submarines in this country, the biggest industrial endeavour in our nation's history, bigger even than the Snowy Hydro scheme,' Mr Marles said. 'In military terms, what it will deliver is the biggest leap in Australia's military capability, really, since the formation of the navy back in 1913.' Deputy PM Richard Marles and UK Defence Secretary John Healey sign the Geelong Treaty. NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui Credit: News Corp Australia The two men later enjoyed a Saturday beer. NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui Credit: News Corp Australia The new treaty was announced following the annual AUKMIN talks in Sydney on Friday. Alongside his counterpart, UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey, the two men celebrated the treaty with a beer at a Geelong brewery. Spotted in Geelong's CBD on Saturday afternoon, the piece has vanished by 5pm.
7NEWS
an hour ago
- 7NEWS
The Issue with Tim Lester: 7NEWS sits down with the Ukraine's ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko
For Vasyl Myroshnychenko, going home is always going to be a hell of a trip. 'Overnight, it was just a massive drone and missile attack,' he says, telling how he was jarred in and out of sleep by explosions. 'So it was one of those tough nights.' The 44-year-old has been Ukraine's Ambassador in Australia since March 2022, taking the job in the days after Vladimir Putin's forces invaded his country. In the years since, Myroshnychenko has been a regular traveller between his work in Canberra and his long-term home in Kyiv. I spoke with him by video call in his Kyiv apartment, in the middle of his ninth trip back as Ambassador. With each trip, there's news on the war's toll. This time, Myroshnychenko learns about a hometown classmate who vanished two years ago. A DNA test on remains, recently discovered, has only just confirmed his death. His burial was held two days before my conversation with the Ambassador. 'And he's got two kids, his wife left behind. And there are numerous stories like that,' he said. For Myroshnychenko, it's critical Australians care about Ukraine's fight to turn back the Russian invasion. 'You're invested in the deterrence,' he said. 'Russians are conducting joint naval military exercises with Indonesia. 'They requested Indonesia … grant them access to an airfield in Papua. 'How far is Papua from Cairns? It's just around the corner. 'They wanted to have their strategic bombers.' He's referring to the controversy that erupted in April, mid-federal election campaign in Australia, with claims Russia had asked Indonesia to base long-range military aircraft at a military airfield in Papua, North of Darwin. Indonesia quickly reassured the Albanese Government that any such request would be turned down. The underlying concern — around Russia's long term plans in Australia's region — was left unaddressed. For Myroshnychenko, Russia's behaviour in Ukraine tells us all we need to know about its intentions. Worse, he argues, it is leading the way to anarchy. 'If Russia can get away with what they've done because they've got nuclear weapons, because they're a permanent member of the UN Security Council, guess what? Everybody else can do it,' he said. 'What kind of world are we going to live in? Is it a world of a jungle where the might is right? Can Australia survive in the world of a jungle?' On the state of the war, the Ambassador says he's optimistic. 'I believe Ukraine is winning,' he said. Myroshnychenko points to Ukraine's now infamous 'Operation Spider Web'. About 117 remote-controlled drones were smuggled into Russia over an 18-month period and launched toward prized Russian strategic bombers parked at airbases across the country. The raid damaged or destroyed roughly one-third of Russia's long-range strike fleet. 'This is asymmetric warfare. This is what Australia should learn from Ukraine,' Myroshnychenko said. As Ambassador, Myroshnychenko is regularly promoting deeper contacts between Ukraine's and Australia's militaries. 'I hope you never have to fight, but if you do … because you are a smaller country … most likely your enemy will be much bigger, right?' he said. 'War is a mother of innovation. War is driving that change, is driving the transformation, one way or another,' he says. It's the silver lining Myroshnychenko sees in his country's deadly fight with Russia. 'You can assist us, but you can also benefit from us.' For more from Tim Lester and his interview with Vasyl Myroshnychenko, you can watch their full conversation for The Issue in the video above or subscribe to the podcast here.
