Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Our joint foreign affairs and defence two-plus-two dialogues are vital to align our diplomatic and security priorities with key partners and are virtual, at this point in time, rather than in person, but the outcomes with our Japanese and German counterparts last week really do demonstrate the value of that shared effort. With Japan, we agreed to strengthen cooperation on economic security, to deepen defence cooperation, to enhance engagement with the United States and other partners and to support South-East Asia and the Pacific in response to COVID-19. We also voiced our strong shared opposition to coercive and destabilising behaviour in our region. Our meeting with Germany demonstrated the increasing focus of liberal democracies on the Indo-Pacific. I signed an enhanced strategic partnership on practical cooperation with Germany during the second of our two-plus-twos, the first being held in 2016. Australia has been active in creating these opportunities, and it's something that both the Minister for Defence, Mr Dutton, and I will continue to pursue.