Australia-US to deepen industrial coordination – Biden and Albanese

Leaders of Australia and the United States meeting in Hiroshima have agreed to prioritise improving information sharing and technology cooperation mechanisms required to advance defence and security collaboration, including through the AUKUS agreement.

According to a statement released by the two leaders, US President Joe Biden plans to ask the United States Congress to add Australia as a ‘domestic source’ within the meaning of Title III of the Defense Production Act.

Doing so would streamline technological and industrial base collaboration, accelerate and strengthen AUKUS implementation, and build new opportunities for United States investment in the production and purchase of Australian critical minerals, critical technologies, and other strategic sectors.

The statement issued also in the name of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “We also acknowledge the work under way to implement Australia-United States Enhanced Force Posture Cooperation, including accelerating Japan’s involvement in force posture related activities.”

Biden and Albanese said Australia and the United States stood ready to seize the opportunities of quantum and advanced technologies, building upon the two nations’ Joint Statement of Collaboration on Quantum, signed in November 2021, and the release of Australia’s National Quantum Strategy.

“We are determined to deepen cooperation on initiatives to be delivered in the coming year, and to work bilaterally and with partners to drive innovation and responsible norms and standards for emerging technologies as we lead the quantum revolution.”

The leaders also reached agreement on the propose Technology Safeguards Agreement.

This will allow for the controlled transfer of sensitive US launch technology and data while protecting US technology consistent with US non‑proliferation policy, the Missile Technology Control Regime and US export controls.

The statement said the United States also appreciated the collaboration with Australian counterparts on promoting telecommunications supplier diversity, including Open Radio Access Networks (Open RAN), given its strong potential to advance resilience, competitiveness, and diversity priorities shared by many bilateral and multilateral partners with regard to telecoms network infrastructure.

“We acknowledge the importance of facilitating the free flow of data across borders through an open, global, interoperable, reliable, and secure Internet and reiterate our shared commitment to participating in multilateral fora such as the Global Cross-Border Privacy Rules Forum, which was established to support the free flow of data and effective data protection and privacy globally.”

The leaders also pledged to cooperate on cyber security.

“We commit to working together on cyber security capacity building objectives, approaches, and policies in the Pacific, and to listen to Pacific partner countries’ priorities to inform future cooperation.”

Picture: Anthony Albanese and Joe Biden