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2d ago

Australia Upholds Strategic Ambiguity as Talisman Sabre Drills Start

Australia insists its elected government will decide any military deployments in a Taiwan conflict; Washington’s review of the AUKUS submarine deal continues under Chinese watch

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will make the case for Australian iron ore in China (pictured at BlueScope Steelworks at Port Kembla). PMO via NewsWire
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Overview

  • Acting Defence Minister Pat Conroy rejected US demands for a pre-commitment of troops, saying any decision to send forces to a Taiwan contingency rests solely with the government of the day.
  • Prime Minister Anthony Albanese affirmed Australia’s support for the status quo on Taiwan during his Shanghai visit and declined to discuss hypothetical deployment scenarios.
  • The US Department of Defense is conducting a review of the AUKUS nuclear submarine partnership amid concerns over its effects on American naval readiness and command arrangements.
  • Exercise Talisman Sabre has begun with 19 nations and 30,000 personnel, and Australia has modified its training procedures in response to Chinese monitoring activities.
  • Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby continues to press Australia and Japan for clarity on their potential roles in a Taiwan conflict, reflecting broader alliance and defence-spending debates.