Defence Minister Peter Dutton has made it clear Australia will continue to bolster its economic, political, and military dialogue with China’s immediate Indo-Pacific neighbours, after calling out the communist regime for touting shallow words of peace. Speaking in a pre-recorded message at a digital conference hosted by think tank the Lowy Institute, Dutton raised concerns over the burgeoning frictions within the Indo-Pacific region. “We’re facing challenges including rapid military modernization, tension over territorial claims, heightened economic coercion, undermining of international law, … enhanced disinformation, foreign interference, and cyber threats,” Dutton said. Dutton did not explicitly mention China but said Australia had and would continue to, bolster its military capabilities alongside its stake-holding allies in the Indo-Pacific, including the United States, Japan, and India. “In the discussions, I have with our like-minded friends in the region, the message comes through loud and clear: they share our interest in ensuring continued peace …