US bombshell hits PM's China trip

Yahoo

9 hours ago

Anthony Albanese has rebuffed a terse call from Donald Trump's key defence adviser Elbridge Colby to dramatically increase its defence spending, as the Prime Minister begins a six-day trip to China amid reports Australian defence officials have been asked whether Australia would support the US in the event of a conflict in Taiwan.
Overnight on Sunday, Mr Colby, the US Undersecretary of Defence, said the US' position of 'achieving peace through strength' was 'abundantly and consistently clear,' and would include urging allies to 'step up their defence spending and other efforts related to our collective defence'.
This follows Mr Hegseth's call for Australia to boost immediately boost investment from 2 per cent to 3.5 per cent of GDP, about $40bn, significantly beyond Labor's current commitment to reach 2.33 per cent by 2033.
While Mr Colby, a noted China hawk, didn't name countries who are lagging on their funding commitments, he said the US would 'not be deterred'.
'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,' he wrote on X.
'President Trump has shown the approach and the formula – and we will not be deterred from advancing his agenda.'
Asked directly about Mr Colby's comments, Mr Albanese said 'I have discussions with people which are private and I keep it private,' and noted again that 'Australia is considerably increasing our defence spending'.
'I say the same thing privately as I say publicly, $57bn over 10 years, we are increasing our defense spending and investment by more than $10bn we have contributed as well to AUKUS already going forward, a billion dollars are being forwarded to help increase the industrial capacity in the United States and will continue to invest in whatever we need to improve our capability,' he said.
His comments follow reports in the Financial Times on Saturday that Mr Colby has been pushing Japanese and Australian defence officials on their response if China invaded Taiwan, an outcome US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said was an 'imminent' threat.
Quoting one US official, they told the UK publication that while the US does 'not seek war,' or to 'dominate China,' the US wants to ensure both it and its allies 'have the military strength to underwrite diplomacy and guarantee peace'.
Speaking to the ABC on Sunday, Acting Defence Minister Pat Conroy would not 'engage in hypotheticals' or 'disclose confidential discussions'.
'The sole power to commit Australia to war or to allow our territory to be used for a conflict is the elected government of the day,' he said.
'That is our position. Sovereignty will always be prioritised, and that will continue to be our position.'
Australia has repeatedly rebuffed calls from the US to boost defence spending, stating that the amount will be decided according to Australia's sovereign needs, which has in-turn put pressure on the alliance, and Mr Albanese's attempts to secure a tariff exemption.
While politically, Mr Albanese is under increasing pressure to secure a meeting with Mr Trump, the leaders are set to have a face-to-face talk in early September during the Quad meeting in India.
This will also be the first in-person meeting between Mr Albanese and Mr Trump since the President's re-election in November, however the leaders have shared three phone calls.
Echoing comments made by Mr Albanese, Foreign Minister Penny Wong last week said that said Australia's security should not be defined 'simply in the terms of what China or the United States is doing in the regions'.
'Instead Australia will 'take our own approach to our relationships, to the rules and to this region that we share,' she said while attending the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia.