Acting PM Richard Marles responds to Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin’s in-person meeting

Australia has responded to the recent in-person meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Richard Marles says the strengthening of ties between China and Russia means Australia needs to build the most “capable and potent” defence force possible.

The Acting Prime Minister said the alliance between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin added to the “landscape of strategic complexity” facing Australia.

Mr Marles, who also holds the Defence portfolio, has stepped into the top job while Anthony Albanese is in the UK for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.

Mr Marles responded on Saturday to Xi and Putin’s in-person meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Uzbekistan last week.

Putin conceded after the meeting that Xi had “questions and concerns” over his invasion of Ukraine but praised the Chinese leader for what he said was a “balanced” position on the conflict.

Asked if he was surprised that Xi had raised concerns about the war, Mr Marles said: “The comments that have been made by China, we’ve heard in other contexts”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to Chinese President Xi Jinping last week. Picture: Sergei Bobylyov/AFP

“But we are seeing greater co-operation between China and Russia,” he told reporters in Geelong.

“And it’s not just the meetings that we’re seeing between President Xi and President Putin. It’s also the military exercises between Russia and China that we’re seeing in the North Pacific.”

Xi and Putin last met in person shortly before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, after which they declared a “no limits” partnership and said they would collaborate more against the West.

China has not condemned Russia’s military attack against Ukraine — which has killed thousands of people and wreaked havoc on the global economy — or called it an “invasion”.

A Chinese readout of last week’s meeting between Xi and Putin did not mention Ukraine.

It said Russia would “deepen” collaboration with China and “expand co-operation” in key areas such as trade an energy.

Mr Marles said the partnership between Beijing and Moscow meant Australia needed to strengthen its military capability as much as possible, noting the Albanese government’s strategic review of Defence.

Announced in August, the review is set to examine how Defence assets and personnel could be better positioned and investment into the force prioritised to meet the nation’s strategic aims.

Acting Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles has responded to the meeting. Picture: Jean-Francois Monier/AFP

Former defence minister Stephen Smith and former defence force chief Angus Houston will lead the review and deliver its recommendations to the federal government early next year.

Mr Marles said on Saturday Australia would continue to support Ukraine in its response to Russia’s “appalling” invasion of its territory.

But he wouldn’t commit to sending additional Bushmaster armoured vehicles to aid in the conflict on top of the 60 Australia has already sent Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko has requested another 30 Bushmasters, which are manufactured in Victoria.

Mr Marles said the federal government was “aware of the requests that Ukraine has made of us” and would consider them.

“We will continue to work with the Ukrainian government to look at the ways in which we can best support them to sustain their effort in resisting this Russian aggression,” he said.