London juggles high stakes diplomatic balancing act

THE diplomatic headlines last week were made by the World Economic Forum and Friday's (Jan 21) US-Japan summit. This slipped the UK-Australia defence and foreign policy face-to-face ministerial meeting - the first since the pandemic - into the international shadows despite its economic and political importance.

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and their Australian counterparts Marise Payne and Peter Dutton agreed late last week to strengthen economic, security and technology ties to confront growing threats from China and Russia. This includes Australia regularly hosting 2 of the Royal Navy's offshore patrol vessels in the future. It is a move that is expected to lay the groundwork for future rotations of larger UK ships and submarines, and the possibility that UK military assets could be based permanently in Australia in the future. It is also possible that British forces could undertake increased military training in Australia, including sending more personnel to Exercise Talisman Sabre and the Royal Australian Air Force's Exercise Pitch Black.

While some dismiss the importance of this deepening relationship, including the new AUKUS defence alliance with the United States announced last autumn, it is seen as hugely important in London and Canberra. Indeed, these decisions by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison may well prove to be one of the most important of their premierships.