Australia, Canada Pledge Efforts to ‘Avoid War’ in Indo-Pacific

Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles in Melbourne, Australia, on May 1, 2024. (Asanka Brendon Ratnayake-Pool/Getty Images)

Amid growing security concerns, Australia’s and Canada’s defence ministers vowed to prevent any possible “war” or “tension” in the region.

The two ministers—Bill Blair, Canada’s Minister of National Defence, and Richard Marles, his Australian counterpart—held a bilateral meeting on Aug. 8 to discuss various defence areas where the two nations can strengthen each other and share capabilities.

Targeting Russia and China for their destabilising actions, Blair stated that closely allied nations are “preparing to avoid war.” He also emphasised the unity of Canada and Australia against adversaries like China and Russia, whose actions threaten “global interests in maintaining a peaceful environment.”

Marles supported Blair and said that Canada and Australia’s cooperation is seeking to deter hostile actors, adding that avoiding conflict is “front and centre” as both nations seek to respond to threats in the Indo-Pacific and elsewhere.

Marles, who’s also Australia’s deputy prime minister, was in Vancouver for the bilateral meeting with Blair.

Both countries discussed strategic partnership in key areas, including increased military cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, commitment to regional stability, investment in defence capabilities, and addressing cyber and space threats.

“Canada and Australia are both Pacific nations, and the security of the Indo-Pacific is crucial for the security of both our nations, and today, that security is being challenged in a number of significant and difficult ways,” Blair said.

He criticised the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for pursuing the most ambitious military buildup by any nation since World War II, and added that the regime was “looking to reshape the international system to advance its own interest.”

The comments come on the heels of Australian and U.S. officials pledging to increase military rotations in the region in response to the CCP’s “destabilising actions.”

Meanwhile, both ministers emphasised that a key aspect of this enhanced cooperation will be the commitment to the Five Eyes partnership, which includes Canada, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand.

Increased Military Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific

As nations with vested interests in the Indo-Pacific region, Canada and Australia’s ministers have reaffirmed their commitment to a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region. They discussed the need for responsible management of strategic competition and the reduction of conflict risks in the region.

The Canadian minister further said that his country has significantly ramped up its naval deployments and defence engagement in the region, creating more opportunities for joint training and multilateral exercises for both nations.

The ministers expressed concern over Beijing’s expansive maritime claims, which are inconsistent with international law. They condemned the regime’s aggression in the South China Sea.

The ministers also discussed the importance of maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, opposing any unilateral changes to the status quo. They called for peaceful dialogue to resolve differences and opposed the use of force or coercion.

They also condemned North Korea’s destabilising missile launches and its pursuit of nuclear weapons, which violate multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Sharing Defence Capabilities, Innovation

Canada and Australia are both making significant investments in their national defence strategies, with a focus on bolstering defence capabilities.

The ministers discussed opportunities for mutual learning and training to increase the interoperability of military forces, particularly on shared platforms.

The statement further said that Canada has expressed interest in collaborating on advanced capability projects under AUKUS Pillar II, the non-nuclear element of the AUKUS trilateral security pact, which includes technology sharing.

Cyber and Space Threats

Recognising the growing sophistication and scale of cyber threats, both ministers pledged their commitment to bolstering cyber cooperation, particularly through the Five Eyes partnership.

They noted the importance of securing the space domain, pledging to improve the coordination of space operations and enhance the interoperability of space capabilities.

“As members of the Combined Space Operations Initiative and Operation Olympic Defender, Canada and Australia are dedicated to ensuring the secure and sustainable use of space,” they said.

Support for Ukraine

The ministers were deeply concerned about the deteriorating strategic environments in both the Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific regions, acknowledging that developments in one region have direct implications for security in the other.

In their joint statement, the ministers reiterated their unwavering support for a sovereign and independent Ukraine, condemning Russia’s illegal and unjustified invasion.

They also voiced concern over the increasing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea, urging China and other nations with influence over Russia to exert it to bring an end to the war in Ukraine.