Overview

• The biennial Talisman Sabre exercise opened on Sunday with more than 30,000 troops from 20 nations training across Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wales, the Northern Territory and Papua New Guinea
• Acting Defence Minister Pat Conroy said Chinese surveillance vessels are expected to monitor the drills and that forces will adjust operations to manage intelligence gathering
• The Trump administration’s 30-day review of the AUKUS partnership, led by Elbridge Colby, has overrun its deadline as US officials press Australia for detailed submarine use guarantees
• Senior Pentagon figures are urging Canberra to commit to substantial increases in defence spending as part of its AUKUS obligations
• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is on a six-day visit to China to navigate economic ties and press for greater transparency over Beijing’s military activities