Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles at the Pentagon today.
The two officials welcomed historic progress across the breadth of the U.S.-Australia alliance, including on force posture, defense industrial base integration, and continued collaboration on advanced capabilities. The officials also spoke about shared global security challenges, including coercive PLA operational behavior in the South and East China Seas, as well as the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
Secretary Austin and Deputy Prime Minister Marles underscored the importance of advancing defense ties with regional allies and partners in support of a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
On August 6, the two officials will join U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong for the 34th Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) in Annapolis, Maryland.