Australia
Australia rules out Quad summit going ahead in Sydney without Biden, but Modi still plans visit
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has ruled out a so-called Quad summit taking place in Sydney without President Joe Biden, saying the four leaders will talk at the Group of Seven meeting this weekend in Japan.
Albanese said Wednesday he understands why Biden pulled out of the summit to focus on debt limit talks in Washington since they are crucial to the economy. The summit including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had been scheduled for May 24.
“The blocking and the disruption that’s occurring in domestic politics in the United States, with the debt ceiling issue, means that, because that has to be solved prior to 1st June — otherwise there are quite drastic consequences for the U.S. economy, which will flow on to the global economy — he understandably has had to make that decision,” Albanese told reporters.
Biden “expressed very much his disappointment” at being unable to come to the Sydney summit and to the national capital Canberra a day earlier to address Parliament, Albanese said.
The four leaders will soon be together in Hiroshima, Japan, for the Group of Seven summit and are planning to meet there, he said.
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“The Quad is an important body and we want to make sure that it occurs at leadership level and we’ll be having that discussion over the weekend," Albanese said.
He said Modi will visit Sydney next week, noting the Indian leader was scheduled to give an address to the Indian diaspora at a sold-out 20,000-seat stadium on Tuesday. But Kishida will not visit.
Also Read: Quad FMs, wary of China’s might, push Indo-Pacific option
“Prime Minister Modi will be here next week for a bilateral meeting with myself. He will also have business meetings, he’ll hold a very public event ... in Sydney,” Albanese told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“I look forward to welcoming him to Sydney,” Albanese said. “Prime Minister Kishida of Japan was just coming for the Quad meeting. There wasn’t a separate bilateral program.”
Also Read: Beijing wants Dhaka not to join Quad
Albanese said it was “disappointing” that Biden decided he could not come.
“The decision of President Biden meant that you can’t have a Quad leaders’ meeting when there are only three out of the four there,” Albanese said.
Bangladesh-Australia have huge opportunities to expand trade: BGMEA President
Bangladesh and Australia have immense potential to enhance bilateral trade by further deepening collaboration and cooperation, said Faruque Hassan, President of BGMEA.
Trade between the two countries had grown considerably over the past years and more opportunities still lie ahead that could benefit both sides if reaped together, he said.
He came up with the observations during a meeting with Tim Watts, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Australian government, in Dhaka on May 15.
Brendan Hodgson, Director, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives Section at Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Megan Jones, Assistant Secretary, Indian Ocean and South Asia RegionalAustralian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia; and Louisa Bochner, Adviser, office of the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs ; Jeremy Bruer, Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh were also present at the meeting.
The meeting was also attended by Zunaid Ahmed Palak, MP, State Minister for the ICT Division, Government of Bangladesh; Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, MP, Deputy Minister for Education, Government of Bangladesh; and Russell T. Ahmed, President of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS).
They had discussions about different issues, including potential areas of expanding trade and investment between Australia and Bangladesh.
Issues relevant to Bangladesh’s RMG industry including its prospects and preparedness to continue the growth momentum were discussed during the meeting.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan briefed the Australian Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs about the huge progress made by Bangladesh’s RMG industry in terms of workplace safety, environmental sustainability, and workers' rights and welfare.
He said Bangladesh was interested in importing more cotton and wool from Australia to meet the growing demand of the RMG and textile industry.
The BGMEA President informed the Australian Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs about about the BGMEA’s initiative to organize the Bangladesh Apparel Summit in Australia on 18th July 2023 and called on him to expend support in organizing the event.
He also sought cooperation from Australia in developing knowledge and skills of the students of BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology (BUFT) in textile, apparel, fashion, design and business through collaboration with leading Australian universities and fashion institutes.
He expressed thanks to the Australian government for its decision to continue duty-free market access for Bangladesh. “It would support Bangladesh in maintaining the momentum of its economic growth after the LDC graduation,” Faruque Hassan added.
Australia wants an Indo-Pacific region where 'no country dominates, and no countries are dominated'
Welcoming Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific Outlook, Australia has said it seeks a region where “no country dominates, and no countries are dominated,” and the country thinks building a region like that requires efforts by all countries in the region.
“We welcome the Bangladesh government’s Indo-Pacific Outlook in that context. I particularly welcome the point in the Indo-Pacific Outlook that argues for an inclusive region,” Australian Assistant Foreign Minister Tim Watts said while responding to a question from UNB in a group session.
He laid emphasis on a “strategic equilibrium” where each country is able to make its own choices about its future -- “free from coercion”, and where sovereignty is respected. Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific Outlook echoes many of Australia's shared principles for the region, he said.
Watts said Australia's vision for the Indo-Pacific and the Indian Ocean region is “peaceful, prosperous, and resilient” -- a region that is governed by rules, norms and international law.
“I think that reflects the Australian government's desire for a region where the interests of small nations are respected, and where all countries can make decisions for themselves, and where their sovereignty is respected,” he said.
Also Read: A seamless transition into an Indo-Pacific is to our collective advantage: Jaishankar
Britain to start free trade with New Zealand and Australia
Britain's free trade agreements with New Zealand and Australia will come into force by the end of this month, the leaders from the three nations said Friday.
The announcement came while the prime ministers from the two Southern Hemisphere nations are in London for the coronation of King Charles III.
The deals are part of Britain's efforts to expand its economic ties after it left the European Union. Both deals were first agreed to in 2021.
New Zealand officials say its deal will help boost sales of products like wine, butter, beef and honey, and will increase the size of its economy by up to 1 billion New Zealand dollars ($629 million).
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said it was a gold-standard agreement.
"The market access outcomes are among the very best New Zealand has secured in any trade deal,” Hipkins said in a statement.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the deal with New Zealand reflected the close relationship between the nations.
“This deal will unlock new opportunities for businesses and investors across New Zealand and the United Kingdom, drive growth, boost jobs, and, most importantly, build a more prosperous future for the next generation,” Sunak said in a statement.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it would mean more market access for its exporters.
“So for beef, for our sheep products, for our seafood, for our other products it will mean much greater access to the British market,” Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. in an interview.
Albanese said it would also mean greater access for younger Australians to work in Britain and vice versa after the terms of a working holiday arrangement were expanded.
A similar scheme between New Zealand and Britain has also been expanded, increasing the length of working visas from two years to three years and the maximum eligible age from 30 to 35.
Melbourne becomes Australia's biggest city, surpassing Sydney
Following a boundary change, Melbourne has surpassed Sydney as Australia's most populated city for the first time since the 19th-century gold rush.
Sydney has proudly maintained the position for over 100 years, reports BBC.
However, as the population in Melbourne's outskirts grows, the city borders have been stretched to cover the Melton region, it said.
According to the most recent government figures, Melbourne has a population of 4,875,400, which is 18,700 higher than Sydney.
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The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines a city's "significant urban area" as any linked suburb having a population of more than 10,000 persons.
"Until the 2021 census definition, the Sydney significant area had a higher population than Melbourne. However, with the amalgamation of Melton into Melbourne in the latest... classification, Melbourne has more people than Sydney - and has had since 2018,” Andrew Howe of Australian Bureau of Statistics told the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, which described the redrawn boundary as "a technicality".
Greater regions of a city, according to the Bureau of Statistics, take into consideration its "functional area" and include individuals that routinely socialize, shop, or work inside the city but may live in small towns or rural areas around it, the report also said.
The federal government, on the other hand, anticipated that Greater Melbourne will surpass Greater Sydney in 2031-32.
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It is not the first time Melbourne has held the title of Australia's largest city.
Melbourne grew rapidly and outnumbered Sydney until 1905 as a result of the late 19th century gold rush, which saw people flock to the state of Victoria.
Australia won’t promise to side with US in Taiwan conflict
The Australian defense minister says his country has made no promises to the United States that Australia would support its ally in any future conflict over Taiwan in exchange for American nuclear-powered submarines.
U.S. President Joe Biden and the leaders of Australia and the United Kingdom announced in San Diego last week that Australia would purchase nuclear-powered attack submarines from the U.S. to modernize its fleet amid growing concern about China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Australian critics of the deal argue that the United States would not hand over as many as five of its Virginia-class submarines without assurances that they would be made available in the event of a conflict with China over Taiwan. Beijing says the self-ruled island democracy, which split with China in 1949 after a civil war, is obliged to unite with the mainland, by force if necessary.
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But Defense Minister Richard Marles said his government had given the United States no assurances over Taiwan.
“Absolutely not, and I couldn’t be more unequivocal than that,” Marles told Australian Broadcasting Corp. ’s “Insiders” news program on Sunday.
Also Read: US approves selling Taiwan munitions worth $619 million
“I want to make it really clear that the moment that there is a flag on the first of those Virginia-class submarines in the early 2030s is the moment that that submarine will be under the complete control of the Australian government of the day and again, no one would have expected that to be any different. I mean, that is obviously the basis upon which this is happening,” he added.
Australia, like the United States, has a policy of “strategic ambiguity" in refusing to say how it would react to a Chinese attack on Taiwan. Australia and the U.S. have also shared a bilateral defense treaty since 1951 that obliges them to consult if either comes under attack but does not commit them to the other's defense.
Former Australian Prime Ministers Paul Keating and Malcolm Turnbull are among the critics who question how Australia could maintain its sovereignty with such heavy reliance on U.S. technology and military personnel under the submarine deal.
The AUKUS deal — named after Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States — provoked an angry reaction from China, which accused Australia of going down a “path of error and danger."
Marles said while the submarines could be used in the case of a conflict, the main intention was for them to protect vital trade routes through the South China Sea and contribute to regional stability.
“Nuclear-powered submarines have obviously the capacity to operate in the context of war, but the primary intent here is to make our contribution to the stability of the region,” Marles said.
Australia to buy up to 220 Tomahawk missiles from the US
Australia said it's planning to buy up to 220 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States after the U.S. State Department approved the sale Friday.
The deal comes days after Australia announced it would buy nuclear-powered attack submarines from the U.S. to modernize its fleet amid growing concern about China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Australian officials said the new nuclear-powered submarines would be able to fire the Tomahawk missiles.
Japan last month also announced plans to upgrade its military in an effort to deter China, including buying 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles for deployment as soon as 2026.
The Australian missile sale comes with a price tag of nearly $900 million. The prime contractor will be Arizona-based Raytheon Missiles and Defense.
Also Read: Philippines eyes South China Sea patrols with US, Australia
“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States,” the State Department said in a statement. “Australia is one of our most important allies in the Western Pacific.”
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said his country would be working closely with the U.S.
“Making sure we have longer-range strike missiles is a really important capability for the country," Marles told Channel Nine. "It enables us to be able to reach out beyond our shores further, and that’s ultimately how we are able to keep Australia safe.”
Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the missiles could be fired from the Virginia-class submarines Australia would be buying under the so-called AUKUS deal.
“We certainly want the best possible capability for the Australian Defense Force, so that includes the ability to strike opponents as far away as possible from the Australian mainland,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. “The cruise missiles are a critical part of that, as are the submarines that launch them.”
The submarine deal has raised concerns that it could clear the way for bad actors to escape nuclear oversight in the future. Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, this week pledged to be “very demanding” in overseeing the planned transfer from the U.S. to Australia.
Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating this week launched a blistering attack on his nation's plans, saying that because of the huge cost, “it must be the worst deal in all history.”
Australian officials have estimated the cost of the submarines at between 268 billion and 368 billion Australian dollars ($178-$245 billion) over three decades.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government had been transparent about the expense.
“The assessment that has to be made is does the purchase, and then us building our own nuclear-powered submarines, increase the capacity for us to defend ourselves by more than 10%? You bet it does," Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. "That’s why it represents good value.”
China says AUKUS on ‘dangerous path’ with nuclear subs deal
The United States, Australia and the United Kingdom are traveling “further down the wrong and dangerous path for their own geopolitical self-interest,” China's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, responding to an agreement under which Australia will purchase nuclear-powered attack submarines from the U.S. to modernize its fleet.
Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the arrangement, given the acronym AUKUS — for Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States — arises from the “typical Cold War mentality which will only motivate an arms race, damage the international nuclear nonproliferation regime, and harm regional stability and peace.”
“The latest joint statement issued by the U.S., U.K., and Australia shows that the three countries have gone further down the wrong and dangerous path for their own geopolitical self-interest, completely ignoring the concerns of the international community," Wang told reporters at a daily briefing.
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U.S. President Joe Biden flew to San Diego to appear with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as they hailed an 18-month-old nuclear partnership that enables Australia to access nuclear-powered submarines, which are stealthier and more capable than conventionally powered vessels, as a counterweight to China’s military buildup.
Biden emphasized the ships would not carry nuclear weapons of any kind. Albanese has said he doesn’t think the deal will sour its relationship with China, which he noted had improved in recent months.
Wang repeated China's claims that AUKUS poses a “serious risk of nuclear proliferation and violating the object and purpose of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.”
“The three countries claim that they will abide by the highest nuclear non-proliferation standards, which is pure deception,” Wang said, accusing the three of “coercing” the International Atomic Energy Agency into giving its endorsement.
Also Tuesday, Australia’s defense minister said AUKUS was necessary to counter the biggest conventional military buildup in the region since World War II. Australian officials said the deal will cost up to $245 billion over the next three decades and create 20,000 jobs.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said it had made a huge diplomatic effort for months ahead of Monday’s announcement of the deal, including making more than 60 calls to regional and world leaders. Australia had even offered to keep China in the loop, he said.
“We offered a briefing. I have not participated in a briefing with China,” Marles said.
Speaking in a video call with reporters late Monday, U.S. Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel J. Kritenbrink said the degree of transparency involved was one of the key features of the arrangement.
“AUKUS partners have made our intentions clear, including our commitment to regional peace and stability," Kritenbrink said. “We have committed ourselves to the highest safety and nonproliferation standards, and we look forward to continuing to engage with our friends, partners, and allies in the region," he said.
AUKUS is one of several U.S.-led security arrangements that have drawn fire from Beijing, which routinely rails against regional blocs from which it is excluded as vestiges of the Cold War.
Along with Russia, China has denounced the Quad — a grouping of Australia, India, Japan and the United States — whose foreign ministers earlier this month made clear they aim to be an alternative to China. The ministers said they viewed with concern “challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the South and East China Seas,” in a reference to China's aggressive moves to assert its territorial claims in a quest to replace the U.S. as the region's preeminent military force.
China has also been unsettled by an agreement between Washington and the Philippines, giving U.S. forces greater access to Filipino bases along what is called the “first island chain” that is key to Chinese control of the region.
U.S. military and political support for Taiwan have also drawn more threatening responses from Beijing in recent years.
A 2022 visit to the island by then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi prompted Beijing to fire missiles over the island, send ships and warplanes into the area and hold military exercises in a simulated blockade of the island. Amid tensions over the U.S. shooting down a suspected Chinese spy balloon in February, China refused to accept a phone call from U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss the matter.
Recent days have seen officials from President Xi Jinping down issue dire pronouncements on U.S. China relations and Chinese security in general.
Foreign Minister Qin Gang warned Washington last week of possible “conflict and confrontation” if the U.S. doesn’t change course to mend relations strained over Taiwan, human rights, Hong Kong, security, technology and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
A day earlier, Xi told delegates of China's rubber-stamp legislature that “Western countries led by the United States have implemented all-round containment, encirclement and suppression of China, which has brought unprecedented grave challenges to our nation’s development.”
On the legislature's closing day Monday, Xi said it was necessary to modernize the armed forces and "build the people’s army into a great wall of steel" that protects China's interests and national security. Xi also reiterated China's determination to bring Taiwan under its control by peaceful or military means amid rising concern abroad over a possible attack on the island Beijing claims as its own territory.
China must “resolutely oppose interference by external forces and Taiwan independence separatist activities, and unswervingly promote the process of reunification of the motherland,” Xi said.
Bangladesh, Australia discuss Indo-Pacific, IORA, security cooperation
Bangladesh and Australia have shown interest in deepening and widening their economic cooperation.
Also, both sides discussed the Indo-Pacific strategy, Indian Ocean Rim Association, security and defence cooperation, human rights, cyber security, energy cooperation, and people-to-people contact.
The 4th Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) between Bangladesh and Australia was held at the state guest house Padma in the capital on March 13.
The Bangladesh delegation was led by Secretary (West) of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Shabbir Ahmad Chowdhury and the Australian side was led by First Assistant Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Gary Cowan.
The concerned officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Education, Information and Communication Technology Division, Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Armed Forces Division also represented the Bangladesh side.
During the meeting, various bilateral, regional, international, economic, and issues related to the mutual interests of Bangladesh and Australia were discussed.
The Australian delegation expressed its interest in working more closely with Bangladesh in various regional and international forums while appreciating the country's economic and social development.
The Bangladesh side placed importance on dealing with climate change, sustainable solutions to the Rohingya crisis, and cooperation in human resource development.
The next FOC will be held in Australia in 2024.
The 3rd FOC between Bangladesh and Australia was held online in 2021.
Gill’s 128 leads India’s reply in 4th test vs. Australia
Shubman Gill scored his second test hundred to lead India to 289-3 in reply to Australia's first-innings total of 480 on Day 3 of the fourth and final test on Saturday.
Making use of benign batting conditions, Gill hit 128 while Virat Kohli also ground out a crucial half-century, his first in 16 test innings. Kohli was on 59 not out at stumps, with Ravindra Jadeja (16) for company.
With two days remaining, India — which leads the series 2-1 — trails by 191 runs at Narendra Modi Stadium.
After the lunch break, Gill pushed India past 100-run mark with Cheteshwar Pujara (42) and the pair added another 58 runs for the second wicket, taking their partnership to 113.
Australia put a tight leash on scoring post-lunch, with only 23 runs coming off 14 overs.
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Gill remained resolute, though, and reached his hundred off 194 balls. It was his first test century on home soil.
Pujara was trapped lbw to Todd Murphy (1-45) after his DRS review was struck down. He faced 121 balls and hit three fours.
Kohli took a while to get going in his innings as India went to tea at 188-2, but Gill played more fluently, passing his previous highest test score of 110 scored against Bangladesh in December. Gill faced 235 balls, hitting 12 fours and a six.
India scored 40 runs in the first hour of play after tea, but then lost Gill. He had cramps and it disturbed his concentration enough as Nathan Lyon (1-75) trapped him lbw.
“It feels great to score a hundred here as I play a lot of cricket on this ground," he said. "The pitch was pretty good to bat on and things were only happening off the rough.
“I was looking to pick singles and score. We will look to score big on Day 4, and maybe the wicket will help our bowlers on Day 5.”
Kohli was joined by Jadeja and looked more confident and fluent after the tea break. They batted in lower gear, though, with only 31 runs coming off the final hour of play.
Jadeja, surprisingly, faced 42 deliveries before hitting a boundary — a six off Matthew Kuhnemann (1-43).
Kohli reached his fifty off 107 balls to end his run without a half-century stretching back to January 2022. It was his 29th fifty and Kohli passed 4,000 test runs on home soil.
Australia took the second new ball with six overs to go, but the Indian pair resisted.
Earlier, Gill and Rohit Sharma had scored 74 runs for the first wicket, added 38 runs from the overnight score of 36-0 before Sharma chipped a catch to cover off Kuhnemann.
Australia's players wore black armbands as a mark of respect for captain Pat Cummins’ mother, Maria, who died in Sydney on Friday. Cummins flew home immediately after the second test in Delhi to be with his family, with Steve Smith now leading the team.
India won the first two tests, in Nagpur and Delhi, before Australia triumphed in Indore.