The prime ministers of Australia and Japan are planning to sign a new security declaration in response to Beijing’s growing regional assertiveness and military power at an upcoming summit to be held in Perth.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will be welcoming Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Oct. 22 and is expected to announce the new Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation, according to Kyodo News.
Originally signed by prime ministers John Howard and Shinzo Abe in 2007, the declaration included provisions on counter-terrorism, border protection, and cooperation over the threat of North Korean missiles, but does not specifically mention China.
During their first meeting in May, Albanese and Kishida agreed to work toward a new joint security declaration to deepen security cooperation between the two nations. They also confirmed that they would work together in dealing with economic coercion….