China and Indo-Pacific ‘right at the top’ of Biden’s priorities

“In the United States we view China as a strategic competitor. It’s a competition that we need to succeed in. That means being able to co-operate where we can, communicate where we must, and obviously, as appropriate, work to counter some of the [People’s Republic of China] intimidation, coercion, excessive maritime claims,” Mr Kirby told Australian journalists before the planned Oval Office meeting between Mr Albanese and the President.

Top of the list of US priorities

”We’re taking a holistic view of this relationship. We believe that more open lines of communication with China is a good thing. As a matter of fact, later this week [Chinese Foreign Minister] Wang Yi is coming [to Washington] and he will meet with the Secretary of State.”

Mr Kirby said Australia had a “critical” role to preserve stability in the Indo-Pacific, saying the region was “right at the top of the list” for the White House’s priorities.

“I’ve heard this speculation by some that because we’re so fixated on supporting Ukraine, and now of course, we’re deeply involved in supporting Israel that somehow we’re going to lose sight, or we’re going to lose focus on the Indo-Pacific,” he said.

“ I just don’t see it borne out in the facts,” Mr Kirby said.

“Our Indo-Pacific partners, and that includes Australia, are also invested in some of these same conflicts around the world. We’re all focused on other things. But if you just look establishing the Quad in the Pacific, AUKUS – that is a huge development for security opportunities in the Pacific.”

On AUKUS, Mr Kirby said the White House’s recent request to Congress to increase the defence budget by $US3.4 billion ($5.3 billion) for submarine production showed the Biden administration’s commitment to moving AUKUS forward.

“We are certainly mindful of the concern by some members of Congress here. We are working hard to overcome that,” he said.