Richard Marles is in Singapore to meet with regional counterparts from more than 30 nations at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) 19th Shangri-La Dialogue.
This will be the first overseas engagement for Australia’s new defence minister and deputy PM following Labor’s election win last month. He will be accompanied by Australia’s defence secretary, Greg Moriarty, and CDF General Angus Campbell.
In a statement, Marles said the Shangri-La Dialogue was an opportunity to discuss the ‘complex’ security challenges of the Indo-Pacific region.
“The Indo-Pacific is in the midst of the most consequential strategic alignment of our time,” he said.
“I welcome the role this dialogue plays in shaping robust conversation on strategic challenges and regional security dynamics.”
Top defence officials from the US and China will also attend the dialogue event. Chinese state councillor and defence minister Wei Fenghe has been in Singapore ahead of the dialogue since Wednesday.
Arrived in Singapore for the #SLD22. I look forward to meeting with regional counterparts to discuss shared security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
— Richard Marles (@RichardMarlesMP) June 9, 2022
The 10-12 June meeting, which aims to engage defence ministers in a regional security dialogue in the Indo-Pacific, had been planned prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the largest such meeting of high-level international representatives.
Marles will also use his trip to attend the 10th Australia-Japan-United States Trilateral Defense Ministers’ Meeting with Japanese counterpart Kishi Nobuo and US counterpart Lloyd Austin.
The defence minister said Australia was committed to working with partners to promote the shared regional interests of a ‘peaceful, inclusive and resilient Indo-Pacific’.
“I look forward to sharing Australia’s strategic outlook at the Dialogue, and outlining our regional priorities,” Marles said.
Over 1400 #YourADF & US Navy personnel are currently taking part in Exercise Sea Explorer 22, an amphibious warfighting exercise. #ExSeaExplorer is the 2nd of three exercises in the annual Sea Series designed to integrate, train & evaluate #AusArmy’s Australian Amphibious Force. pic.twitter.com/PgY2NCOtFL
— General Angus Campbell (@CDF_Aust) June 8, 2022
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