Australia and the United States are working on “contingencies” if there is an outbreak of conflict around Taiwan, according to a senior U.S. diplomat. Michael Goldman, charge d’affaires at the U.S. embassy in Canberra told The Australian National University’s (ANU) National Security Podcast last week that Australia and the U.S. are working closely together on security issues. “I think we’re committed as allies to working together, not only in making our militaries interoperable and functioning well together but also in strategic planning,” Goldman said. “And when you look at strategic planning, it covers the range of contingencies that you’ve mentioned, of which Taiwan is obviously an important component,” he added. Beijing’s hostile rhetoric towards Taiwan has increased over the past year, since the re-election of President Tsai Ing-wen. In recent months, Chinese military jets have also made near-daily incursions into Taiwanese airspace. with the largest being in late March, when …