Richard Marles says Australian posture on Taiwan hasn’t changed

Following an incredible statement by Joe Biden this week, the man in charge of Australia’s defence response has made a promise to China.

Australia has not changed its posture on Taiwan, but will continue to stand with the United States in pushing for China to not take any drastic action, Richard Marles has assured.

US President Joe Biden this week committed troops to defend Taiwan should China make good on their threats to invade.

High ranking Australian politicians and leaders will continue to try and repair the diplomatic and economic relationships between the two countries, while also pushing China to do more to stop Russia’s war in Ukraine.

It comes after the opposition’s defence spokesperson, Andrew Hastie, backed in Mr Biden.

Mr Hastie said he “supported President Biden’s posture towards Taiwan” – despite it breaking with the tradition of strategic ambiguity.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister says Australian’s position on Taiwan has not changed. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

The Defence Minister said the US had “made it clear” that their Taiwan policy had not changed.

“Notwithstanding the comments that have been made by the President, and I’ve said previously that I think what the comments from President Biden do show, do demonstrate, is an ongoing interest in the Indo-Pacific in East Asia,” he told Sky News.

“We welcome American retaining its presence in the Indo-Pacific.

“We maintain the position that … we don’t want to see any unilateral changes to the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.”

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong met with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in New York this week. Picture: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Australia is under pressure to balance rebuilding a diplomatic relationship with China while also maintaining its posture regarding Taiwan.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong met with her Chinese counterpart for the second time in three months this week.

Prior to the July meeting, there had been no such meeting between foreign ministers since 2019.

Senator Wong said the meeting, which happened on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, has been “constructive” and covered a wide range of issues.

“Australian interests are constant, and the government will continue to speak on those issues, and continue to engage with China in order to stabilise the relationship that will require continued engagement,” she said.

Senator Wong used her UN GA address to call on China to help end the war in Ukraine. Picture: DFAT

The government says they have also used conversations with China to push for them to use their influence over Russia to convince them to withdraw from Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s threat this week to use “whatever means possible”, namely nuclear weapons, to win the war has sparked mass outrage and concern.

In addition, illegal referendums is currently underway and 300,000 Russian reservists have been called to join the war.

Mr Marles said it was in Australia’s interest to stand with Ukraine “over the long term”.

“We need to see this as having the potential for it to be a protracted conflict, and our objective here has to be enabling Ukraine to ultimately end this conflict on its own terms – for it to be the author of the resolution of the end of the conflict,” he said.