US, Australia recognise India's importance in Asia Pacific

Recognising India's strategic and economic importance in the Asia-Pacific region, the US and Australia have welcomed growing engagement and increased cooperation with New Delhi on a range of security issues, particularly counter-terrorism, maritime security, countering transnational crime and cyber policy.

"Both sides recognised India's strategic and economic importance in the Asia-Pacific region, and welcomed growing engagement and increased cooperation with India on a range of security issues, particularly counter-terrorism, maritime security, countering transnational crime and cyber policy," the two countries said in a joint statement at the conclusion of Australia-United States Ministerial (AUSMIN) consultations in Boston.

Expressing strong concerns over recent Chinese land reclamation and construction activity in the South China Sea, the two countries called on all claimant states to halt land reclamation, construction, and militarisation.

The US and Australia urged claimants to exercise restraint, take steps to ease tensions and refrain from provocative actions that could escalate tensions.

"Now, make no mistake: The United States will fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, as we do around the world, and the South China Sea is not and will not be an exception. This is simply not – not simply a US commitment," US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter told reporters at a news conference in Boston along with Secretary of State John Kerry and their Australian counterparts.

"Our two nations are joined by an increasing number of countries in the neighbourhood, including Japan, the Philippines, India, and Vietnam, all with an interest in prospering while serving regional– excuse me – solving regional issues," he said. 

"And the US stands ready to continue our role as a pivotal security partner in this region as we have done for over 70 years. To that end, our strong defence partnership with Australia will continue to anchor regional stability and strengthen our capacity in a variety of other areas, including disaster relief and response to humanitarian crises," Carter said.

Carter said the effect of uncertainty and excessive military activity in the South China Sea is having the effect of increasing our maritime cooperation with many countries in the region.

"They're asking for more interaction with the United States and the United States Navy, you mentioned. That extends from Vietnam to India to the Philippines to Japan, which is doing more in general in this part of the world to support the rules-based order in East Asia," he said.

"So it's having the effect of very much increasing the desire to cooperate with the United States in the Asia Pacific, cooperate with its rebalance, and particularly to work in the maritime domain. And we are committed to meeting that demand," Carter said.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said her country has a deep national interest in the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea because about two-thirds of its merchandise trade passes through those seas.

"We have said consistently and persistently that the reclamation or construction work carried about, notably by China but by any others, should halt, that there should be peaceful negotiations. And while we don’t take sides on territorial claims, we urge all parties to resolve it peacefully and in accordance with international norms and norms of behaviour," he said.

"We do note and we do welcome President Xi's statement when he was here in the US, in Washington, that the Chinese Government did not intend to militarise the Spratly Islands. And we welcome that statement and we'll certainly hold China to it," Bishop said.

"We will continue to work not only with our ally the United States but with the other ASEAN countries in ensuring that any issues in the South China Sea are resolved peacefully and that there be no acknowledgement or no support for any coercive unilateral behaviour that escalates tensions in the region. And we call for a de-escalation of all tension in that regard," the Foreign Minister said.