Japan, Australia, US sign trilateral defense tech pact

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Japan, Australia, and the US have signed a trilateral defense tech cooperation pact, a joint statement said on Friday.

The pact was signed during a joint meeting of defense chiefs in Hawaii on Thursday, said the statement issued by the Japanese Defense Ministry.

Defense chiefs Richard Marles of Australia, Kihara Minoru of Japan, and Lloyd Austin of the US signed the Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation Arrangement during their 13th trilateral defense ministerial meeting.

“Science and technology cooperation is vital to maintain their collective edge and deepen their defense cooperation,” the statement said.

Under the new collaboration, the three ministries will “further discuss cooperative opportunities in the areas of collaborative combat aircraft and autonomous systems and composite aerospace materials,” it said.

Marles, Minoru, and Austin also discussed China, North Korea, and disputes in then South China Sea, reiterating their "strong opposition to any attempts" by Beijing to "unilaterally change the status quo by force or coercion" in the South and East China Seas, according to the statement.

They emphasized the “importance of peace and stability” across the Taiwan Strait and called for the “peaceful resolution of cross-Strait issues,” it said.

The trio reaffirmed their “enduring commitment to a peaceful, secure, and prosperous Southeast Asia, where sovereignty is respected, international law is followed, and nations can make decisions free from coercion,” the statement added.