KARL STEFANOVIC, HOST: Australia has struck a significant defence deal this morning, launching a new missile pact with the US and Japan to combat China’s military threats. And the Prime Minister joins us now live from Brisbane. PM, good morning to you. You’ve struck a deal on missiles with Japan. How’s that all going to work?
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, what we have done, when I was in Japan last year, was upgrade our security relationship with Japan. This is a deal between Australia, Japan and the United States to enhance our capability. We want to cooperate with countries in the region, and in particular Japan, of course, is an advanced technology nation and the US is our closest ally.
STEFANOVIC: So what’s it actually going to mean? And secondly, how is that going to swing with China? You really are winding them up at the moment.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, it’s about increasing our defence capability and that’s in Australia’s national interest. And we’ve said with China that we’ll cooperate where we can, we’ll disagree where we must, but we will always engage in a constructive manner and that’s what we’re continuing to do and we’ve seen the product of that constructive engagement.
STEFANOVIC: You’re poking a bear, though.
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we’re engaging constructively. This is about our national defence and all nations have a right to ensure that their defence capability is maximised. That’s precisely what Australia is doing.
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Source: Office of the Australian Prime Minister
Speaker: The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister of Australia
Format: Interview
China Policy Research 