At a virtual summit on Thursday, Australia and Japan will sign a treaty to boost defense and security cooperation.
Prime Ministers Scott Morrison of Australia and Fumio Kishida of Japan will sign the agreement in a virtual summit, which Morrison claims will pave the way for greater and more complex practical engagement between the Australian Defense Force and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces.
“Australia and Japan are inseparably linked.
“Our special strategic partnership is stronger than it has ever been,” Morrison said, citing their shared values, commitment to democracy and human rights, and shared interests in a free, open, and resilient Indo-Pacific region.
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Australia signed the Aukus trilateral security pact with the US and the UK in September, under which the two countries agreed to assist Australia in acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.
The agreement enraged China, which claimed that it jeopardized regional peace and stability, exacerbated the arms race, and jeopardized international non-proliferation efforts.
