US and Australia foreign and defence ministers to meet Aug 6

29/7/2024 12:22

        The foreign and defence ministers of the United States and Australia will meet in the U.S. on Aug. 6, the country's embassy in Canberra said on Monday.
        
        Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will co-host their Australian counterparts, Penny Wong and Richard Marles in Annapolis, Maryland as part of the annual Australia-U.S. Ministerial (AUSMIN) dialogue.
        
        "Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin look forward to strengthening our cooperation on the full range of global and regional issues and deepening the U.S.-Australia alliance with their Australian counterparts," the U.S. Embassy said in a statement.
        
        Washington and Canberra are close allies, cooperating most notably on counterbalancing China, which is playing an increasingly assertive role in the Pacific region.