U.S., Australia Defense, Foreign Ministers Hold Bilateral Talks
The strategic dialogue between Rubio, Hegseth, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Defense Minister Richard Marles commemorates four decades of ministerial consultations between the two Pacific allies.
Rubio emphasized the exceptional bond linking Washington and Canberra, noting Australia "is our only ally that has fought with us in every war" spanning the last half-century.
"This is a very strong partnership. It's a strong alliance, and what we want to do is continue to build on it. We think we have a lot of momentum behind this alliance," he said. "We truly have no better friend."
The nation's chief diplomat praised the trilateral AUKUS security pact with Britain, declaring the initiative "is full steam ahead," while highlighting a "landmark" critical minerals pact finalized in October.
"To build our economies and to prosper as economies, we have to have critical mineral supplies and supply chains that are reliable and that are diverse, and not overly invested in one place where they can be used as leverage against us or our partners of the world," Rubio said.
Though Beijing went unnamed during public remarks, Rubio's statements appeared directed at China, which recently relaxed export controls on strategic minerals after sending markets into turmoil—restrictions subsequently eased following October talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
During a private session with Wong, Rubio reinforced that the US has "no better friend, partner, or ally than Australia," celebrating advancement of the Critical Minerals Framework executed by Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in October, the State Department confirmed.
"Secretary Rubio and Foreign Minister Wong also discussed their shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, emphasizing cooperation to combat online scam operations and supporting further strategic infrastructure projects across the Pacific," it added.
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