Australia will never stand alone in China pushback, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has issued a powerful declaration of support for Australia’s pushback against Chinese aggression.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo meets with Foreign Minister Marise Payne at the State Department in Washington. Picture: AFP

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has issued a powerful declaration of support for Australia’s pushback against Chinese aggression, saying the US stood firmly alongside its ANZUS ally on the issue.

In strongly worded comments in Washington, Mr Pompeo said Australia would never stand alone in its quest to promote its values in the Indo-Pacific in the face of bullying behaviour by Beijing.

“The US commends the Morrison government for standing up for democratic values and the rule of law despite intense continued coercive pressure from the Chinese Communist Party to bow to Beijing’s wishes,” Mr Pompeo said after the Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) in Washington. “It is unacceptable for Beijing to use exports or student fees as a cudgel against Australia. We stand with our Australian friends.

“The burden Australia has undertaken to uphold democratic values is not yours to bear alone,” he said. “The US knows the threats that you and the rest of the free world face, the US stands with you in our unbreakable alliance.”

Mr Pompeo said the US ‘commended’ Australia for ‘standing up for democratic values and the rule of law’. Picture: AFP

Mr Pompeo was speaking after he and US Defense Secretary Mark Esper met with Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds in talks which focused heavily on the strategic challenges posed by China.

The annual meeting comes at a time when relations between China have sunk to new lows in both Australia and the US.

The Trump administration had pushed the Australian ministers to attend the meeting face-to-face despite the threat posed by the coronavirus in the US and the need for both the ministers and their entourage, including two department secretaries and the head of the ADF, to quarantine for two weeks when they return.

“We want to thank the ministers for travelling halfway around the world today to be with us … how many partners would do that for us,” Mr Pompeo said.

Both Mr Pompeo and Mr Esper were effusive in their praise for the Morrison government’s pushback against China on a range of issues.

These included declaring as illegal China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea, support for freedom in Hong Kong and the ban on Chinese Telco Huawei.

“We will stand firm in upholding the international rules based order and we applaud Australia for pushing back against the Chinese Communist Party’s brazen economic threats and coercive behaviour at increasing risk of retaliation,” Mr Esper said.

Mr Esper said that Australia’s recent joint exercises with US forces in the region underscored that “we will fly, we will sail and we will operate wherever international law allows”.

Ms Reynolds gave no indication about whether Australia would join the US Navy in conducting Freedom of Navigation Operations within 12 nautical miles of disputed islands or rock formations claimed by China in the South China Sea.

“Our approach remains consistent and we will continue to transit through the region in accordance with international law,” Ms Reynolds said.

Australian Navy ships regularly pass through the region but, unlike the US Navy, Australian ships stay 12 nautical miles from any disputed territory.

Mr Pompeo said: “We will keep working with our Australian partners to reassert the rule of law in the South China Sea which the US and Australia have both underscored in recent important statements.”

China was angered by Australia’s decision last week to declare China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea as illegal, with the state-run Global Times describing it as a reckless “provocation” that could lead to trade sanctions.

The US made a similar declaration earlier this month that China’s claims were illegal.

Mr Esper did not directly answer a question about whether the US was continuing to explore the idea of eventually deploying mid-range missiles on Australia to counter China.

“We had a very ranging discussion about the capabilities the US possesses and the capabilities Australia possesses and our desire to advance them – whether they are hypersonic or any other kind of capability,” Mr Esper said.

Ms Payne travelled to Washington for the talks. Picture: AFP

“I think it’s important as we think forward about how we deter bad behaviour in the Indo-Pacific and how we defend the international rules based order, specifically against China,” he said.

Mr Pompeo also thanked Australia for its support for the people of Hong Kong as China progressively erodes their freedoms and rights.

“The US applauds Australia’s decisive response to suspend its extradition agreement and extend visas for residents of Hong Kong in Australia,” Mr Pompeo said

Beijing has described Australia’s move as a “gross interference in China’s internal affairs” which it claimed has violated international law.

Mr Pompeo also thanked Australia for its call for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus in China, a move which also angered Beijing.

The Ausmin meeting unveiled several new bilateral initiatives including a new working group between the Department of Foreign Affairs and the State Department to monitor and response to harmful disinformation – a move directed against China.

The defence ministers also agreed to establish a US-funded, commercially operated strategic military fuel reserve in Darwin.

Cameron Stewart is also US Contributor for Sky News Australia