Australia ‘inconceivable’ would not join US in defending Taiwan, says the Australian defense minister.
MELBOURNE: It would be “inconceivable” for Australia not to join the United States if Washington took steps to defend Taiwan, Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton said on Saturday (November 13).
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the United States and its allies would take unspecified “action” if China used force to alter the status quo over Taiwan.
“It would be inconceivable that we would not support the United States in an action if the United States decided to take such action,” Dutton told The Australian newspaper in an interview.
“And, again, I think we should be very frank and honest about it, looking at all the facts and circumstances without committing ourselves beforehand, and maybe there are circumstances where we wouldn’t take that option, (but) I can’t conceive of those circumstances.”
China’s military said on Tuesday it conducted a combat readiness patrol in the direction of the Taiwan Strait after its Defense Ministry condemned a visit by a US congressional delegation to Taiwan, the democratically governed island claimed by Beijing.
“(China) has been very clear about its intention to enter Taiwan and we must ensure that there is a high level of preparedness, a greater sense of deterrence for our ability, and this is how I think we put our country in a position of strength, “Dutton told the newspaper.
China has not ruled out the use of force to control Taiwan but has downplayed the idea that war is imminent.