VISIT TO UNITED KINGDOM FOR AUKMIN

We will join British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, and the Secretary of State for Defence, the Rt Hon Gavin Williamson CBE MP on 19 -20 July for the annual Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN).

 

We will engage with our British counterparts across a range of foreign policy, defence and security interests. The annual consultations are an opportunity to identify areas where both nations can cooperate more closely in the pursuit of our shared interests including in our region, the Indo-Pacific.

 

Australia has a strong and dynamic relationship with the United Kingdom, underpinned by our shared heritage, common values and closely-aligned strategic outlook.

 

The United Kingdom is Australia’s second largest source of foreign investment — $481.4 billion in 2017 — and our fifth largest two-way trading partner, with $27 billion in goods and services in 2017.

 

Our military ties are deep and long-standing — reinforced over time by our intelligence cooperation, personnel exchanges, participation in military operations most recently in Afghanistan and Iraq.

 

We look forward to continuing to defend the international rules based order, in the Indo-Pacific, as well as in Europe.