Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you to the senator for the supplementary. He phrases the question in a way that is really important. Others have described it differently: 'We want a region that is non-hegemonic'; 'We want a region where sovereignty is protected'. But it is in Australia's interests—and this I do think is a bipartisan objective, even if, on how we get there, we may differ. We want a region where disputes are not simply guided by power and size, and central to that is working with the countries of our region, including ASEAN, as well as the Pacific, ensuring we have relationships that are deep and trusting and relationships where we are able to be a partner of choice.

Partnerships matter because it's how we build the kind of region we want. It's how we build the kind of region that serves—that is in accordance with—the interests of the Australian people and the interests of the nation: a region at peace, not in conflict, which is why we will continue to work with partners to promote peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.