Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne in Washington for high-level talks

The global superpower has put Beijing on notice after it indefinitely suspended strategic talks with Australia this week.

The US has vowed to back Australia as tensions with China escalate, with the US Secretary of State saying the country “will not leave Australia alone on the field”.

The global superpower’s bold message follows Beijing’s shock suspension of strategic dialogue with Australia.

Secretary Blinken launched the latest salvo in tensions on Thursday after hosting high-level talks with Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne in Washington.

“The foreign minister and I touched on a number of key challenges that we face together and where the United States and Australia are very closely linked,” Secretary Blinken said in a joint address with Senator Payne.

“I reiterated that the US will not leave Australia alone on the field, or maybe I should say alone on the pitch, in the face of economic coercion by China.

“That’s what allies do. We have each other’s backs so we can face threats and challenges from a position of collective strength.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said they were not seeking to hold China back. “We are seeking … to uphold the rules-based international order,” he said. Picture: Andrew Harnik/AFP

Secretary Blinken said the Biden Administration had raised concerns about China exerting economic coercion over Australia.

“We have done so publicly, we have done so privately,” he said.

“And we have made clear to the People’s Republic of China how such actions targeting our closest partners and allies will hinder improvements in our own relationship with China.”

Senator Payne again reiterated that Australia sought a constructive relationship with China.

“We stand ready at any time, amongst all of my counterparts and colleagues, to resume dialogue,” she said.

“We have a range of issues to work through with China at present and we’ll continue to engage China to resolve those outstanding issues, those outstanding trade issues, and use appropriate mechanisms that are available to us if we need to.

“We welcome the clear expressions of support from Washington as Australia works through those differences.

“It is hard to think of a truer expression of friendship.”

Marise Payne says Australia “stands ready” to resume dialogue with China. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

Earlier on Thursday, Chinese mouthpiece the Global Times blamed Australia for the indefinite suspension of the strategic economic dialogue.

Ministry of Commerce spokesman Gao Feng reportedly said Australian had “unreasonably suppressed” co-operation projects between the two countries.

This “undermined mutual trust” between the two countries and seriously affected the confidence of enterprises to carry out mutually beneficial co-operation, according to the state-owned media outlet.

“It is the first time that a diplomatic mechanism between the two countries has been frozen on the heels of downward spiralling relations,” it wrote.

Relations between Canberra and Beijing have deteriorated over the past twelve months, seemingly prompted by Australia’s push for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19.

China has imposed a range of sanctions on Australian products and warned Canberra against further “suicidal attacks” on Chinese interests.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison last year invited US President Joe Biden to travel to Australia to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the ANZUS treaty.

“Our countries are working with India and Japan to advance a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Secretary Blinken said.

“We are tackling big, complex challenges, like ensuring international law is respected in the East and South China Seas, and increasing global access to safe, effective vaccines for COVID-19.”