SYDNEY, July 13 — Australia will not commit troops in advance to any conflict, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said on Sunday, responding to a report that the Pentagon has pressed its ally to clarify what role it would play if the United States (US) and China went to war over Taiwan.
Australia prioritises its sovereignty and "we do not discuss hypotheticals", he said in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
"The decision to commit Australian troops to a conflict will be made by the government of the day, not in advance but by the government of the day," Conroy said.
On Saturday, The Financial Times reported that Elbridge Colby, the US Under-Secretary of Defence for Policy, has been pushing Australian and Japanese defence officials on what they would do in a Taiwan conflict, although the US does not offer a blank cheque guarantee to defend Taiwan.
Colby posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the Department of Defence is implementing President Donald Trump's "America First" agenda of restoring deterrence, which includes "urging allies to step up their defence spending and other efforts related to our collective defence".
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own and has not ruled out the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Taiwan President Lai Ching-te rejects China's sovereignty claims, saying only Taiwan's people can decide their future.
Australia's largest war-fighting exercise with the US, involving 30,000 troops from 19 countries, opens on Sunday on Sydney Harbour.
Conroy added that Australia is concerned about China's military buildup of nuclear and conventional forces, and wants a balanced Indo-Pacific region where no country dominates.
"China is seeking to secure a military base in the region, and we are working very hard to be the primary security partner of choice for the region because we do not think that is a particularly optimal thing for Australia," he said, referring to the Pacific Islands.
Security is expected to be on the agenda when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets China's leaders this week. He arrived in Shanghai on Saturday for a six-day visit.
The Talisman Sabre exercise will span 6,500 km, from Australia's Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island to the Coral Sea on Australia's east coast.
Conroy said it was possible China's Navy would be watching the exercise to collect information, as it had done in the past.
The US is Australia's major security ally. Although Australia does not permit foreign bases, the US military is expanding its rotational presence and fuel stores on Australian bases, which from 2027 will have US Virginia submarines at port in Western Australia.
These would play a key role in supporting US forces in any conflict over Taiwan, analysts say.
— Reuters
