United States, Japan, and Australia sign defense technology pact
Photo: The US, Japan and Australia signed a new defense pact (media.defense.gov)
The defense ministers of Japan, the United States, and Australia have signed an agreement for cooperation in the field of new technologies amid China's increasing military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region, reports Kyodo.
Trilateral talks between Japan's Defense Minister Minoru Kihara, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, and Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles took place ahead of their four-way meeting, which included the Philippine Defense Minister Gilberto Teodoro.
In a statement, Kihara, Austin, and Marles stated that they will "further discuss cooperative opportunities" in advanced technologies, including "collaborative combat aircraft" and "composite aerospace materials."
They also announced that cooperation in new technology would be carried out under their new trilateral agreement on research, development, testing, and evaluation projects.
The ministers also agreed to conduct joint training of F-35 fighters in each of their countries over the next two years until 2026.
Furthermore, the defense ministers strongly condemned "increasing military cooperation between North Korea and Russia," including Moscow's purchase and use of North Korean ballistic missiles in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
US, Japan, and Australia defense cooperation
The defense cooperation among the countries is under the AUKUS alliance, aimed at countering China's influence in the disputed waters of the South China Sea.
In March 2023, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and US President Joe Biden announced an agreement among AUKUS member states to provide Australia's navy with nuclear-powered submarines.
Japanese publications also reported that AUKUS countries are interested in using Japanese technology, including for developing hypersonic weapons and enhancing electronic warfare capabilities.
