Albanese confirms status quo posture over Taiwan war
Washington has reportedly been pressing Canberra on the matter as the Trump administration turns its attention to an 'imminent' China threat in the Indo Pacific.
A Chinese invasion of Taiwan, which is democratically self-governing, would cause mayhem for global shipping lines and disrupt the supply of semiconductors — crucial tech components.
Speaking to reporters in Shanghai on Sunday, the Prime Minister struck a cautious tone as Chinese officials watched from the sidelines.
'Our aim of investing in our capability, and as well investing in our relationships, is about advancing peace and security in our region,' he said.
Mr Albanese said he had no plans of changing Australia's 'consistent position' on Taiwan's future.
'We support the status quo when it comes to Taiwan,' he said.
'We don't support any unilateral action there. We have a clear position, and we have been consistent about that.'
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese gives a press conference in Shanghai, China, on July 13, 2025. Picture: Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer / NewsWire
In somewhat of a veiled shot at the Trump administration, he went on to say it was 'important' in international relationships to 'have a stable, orderly, coherent position going forward'.
'Australia does … want peace and security in our region,' Mr Albanese said.
'We don't want any change to the status quo – that's Australia's position today, that was Australia's position last week, that's been a bipartisan position for a long period of time.'
He was pressed on whether the US had sought assurances that any nuclear-powered submarines acquired under AUKUS would be deployed in a conflict over Taiwan.
Mr Albanese kept tight-lipped, only saying that 'through the AUKUS agreement' all stakeholder countries had 'very clear understandings of what AUKUS is for'.
'We want peace and security in our region,' he said.
'We don't change our position on a day-to-day basis – that is what the world needs and that is what we'll continue to do.'
Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian was among the stone-faced officials watching intently.
In the lead up to Mr Albanese's visit, Mr Xiao was busy setting the tone for the lengthy six-day stay.
Much like the Albanese government, he sought to move the conversation away from its defence and security framing and toward areas of common interest, such as trade and tourism.
But even as Canberra and Beijing spruik people-to-people and economic ties, the spectre of an increasingly militaristic regional rivalry has loomed large over the trip.
The endeavour has not been helped by comments overnight from Donald Trump's Pentagon chief.
Elbridge Colby, an AUKUS sceptic and China hawk, said the US Department of Defense was 'focused on implementing' Donald Trump's 'America First, common sense agenda of restoring deterrence and achieving peace through strength'.
'That includes by urging allies to step up their defense spending and other efforts related to our collective defense,' Mr Colby posted on social media.
'This has been a hallmark of President Trump's strategy – in Asia as in Europe where it has already been tremendously successful.'
He added that 'some among our allies might not welcome frank conversations'.
Mr Albanese walks the Bund waterfront in Shanghai with Socceroos great turned Shanghai Port FC coach Kevin Muscat and some of his team. The prime minister is on a six-day visit to China. Picture: Supplied/PMO
It echoed similar remarks made by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt last month.
Responding to an Australian journalist, she said if US allies in Europe could hike defence spending, 'I think our allies and our friends in the Asia-Pacific region can do it as well'.
In turn, Ms Leavitt sounded similar to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, who asked the Albanese government directly to hike military spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP, warning China could invade Taiwan by 2027.
In his Sunday press conference, Mr Albanese was also pressed on any private conversation with the Americans on Taiwan.
'Private by definition, that's in private,' he shot back.
'You don't take private comments at a media conference,' he said.
'We engage in a mature way. That's the way that we do with our relationships.'
Duncan Evans
Reporter
Duncan Evans is a reporter for News Corp's NewsWire service, based in Adelaide. Before NewsWire, he worked as a resources and politics reporter for The Daily Mercury in Mackay, Queensland and as a reporter at CQ Today, an independent newspaper based in Rockhampton. He was raised in Emerald and Brisbane and studied English Literature and American Studies at the University of Sydney. He began his career in journalism working for the Jakarta Post in Indonesia for over two years as an editor, translator and writer. He is fluent in Indonesian.
@Duncanevans01
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