In the Pacific Region of relations with china and india. Good beating everyone and welcome back to the aspen security forum. I am the executive director of the aspen strategy group. I should say good morning to the Prime Minister of australia and durability in australia. Its a real honor for us to welcome scott morrison, the Prime Minister of our great ally australia. He leads one of the strongest one of the most impressive allies of the United States, inarguably the most important region of the world, the indopacific. It is two years as Prime Minister he steered the country through several crises, the wildfires of last autumn, the covid19 crisis were us jilly has a very effective and impressive record, and in Foreign Policy the primaries has led a resurgence of influence in the south pacific, australia was the first government to exclude huawei from its 5g networks, aldosterone is currently undergoing as are many of the countries in the world a challenge from china on many fronts that unites us jilly with the United States come with india in japan and others and Prime Minister, and the Great Fortune to spend three weeks and australia last autumn as a fellow at the institute in sydney and i worked with her government in the past but was very impressed by the depth of everything that we are doing together. Guest good morning. How are you . Good morning to you. You know, i have to say, thank you so much to nick there. It is definitely a covid first to be interviewing a world leader from my home studio and across the world and im so glad we can have this communication and conversation today. I think all of us miss the aspen mountains around us at the aspen security forum, but im glad we could have this, such an apply to the United States and youre in an interesting neighborhood finding yourself in the midst of rising tensions between beijing and washington. I have lots of questions for you. I know our viewers will also have some questions, but you will start us off first with about 15 minutes of remarks. I just want to set the stage for our viewers online that if you look at your zoom screen, you can get in the queue to ask a question if you click that raise hand function and then the folks at aspen will unmute you and youll pop up on the screen to ask your question. About 15 minutes out from the conclusion. First off, i want to hand it off to the Prime Minister. Thank you, margaret and good day. To everyone who is joining us this morning. I want to thank you for the opportunity to talk to you this morning and my remarks before i ask questions, there are things i want today cover. First of all, australias assessment, covid and post covid19 environment. Secondly, australias response to the challenge and third, how our country, australia and the United States, wonderful friends and allies worked together for our goals of free societies and markets in a part of the world n examining the international environment, i want to start and the work from australia who saw the world more clearly than almost anyone this era. And number third, since 1977 the society remains one of t the in the Global Politics. The International Society said to exist when sovereign nations consider themselves to be bound by a common set of rules in their relations and share in the work of common institutions. So what is the state of todays International Society . Particularly in our shared indoPacific Region. Today the indopacific is the epicenter of the strategic competition. Tensions over territorial claims, unprecedented. Democratic nations fight new threats. Cyber attacks in are increasing in frequency and sophistication. And the trade rules that allowed us to prosper if now evolved to meet new challenges, and economic coercion is increasingly employed as a tool much state craft. Its fair to say that in 2020 our International Society is under strike. The reaction of some is to fret by the rules of international order. Fair enough. We want to see International Engagement framed by great rules, and not crude economic or political coercion, but nor do we think long in the past to announce for a strategy. The configuration of power in Global Politics has changed and we have to deal with the world as it is, not as wed like it to be. The liberal rules and norms of what has been known as the American Century are under assault. The jungle is growing back, as robert kagan observed and we need to tend to the gardening. A critical priority is to fill a streak balance in the indopacific. To act cohesively more consistently, more often to align. And i assure that australia is n not acting to shape that tomorrow right now. In the Aspen Institute publication, a chapter contributed by Robert Blackmon and the quote came from not usually cited, the quote reads i have been impressed by the agency of doing, knowing is not enough, we must apply, being willing is not enough, we must do. Now, we are doing in australia. Last month i launched 2020 defense strategic update. That description doesnt do the policy commitment justice. There is a major strengthening of our force posture. This has been a major development. We are building the capability and potency of our Defense Force sharpening focus on our immediate region and increasing our capabilities to deter actions against our interests. We will increase our ability to respond to actions and operations in the gray zone, falling below the threshold of traditional conference. Australia already spends more on our defense than most of the defense in aliens partner. And we will spend even more, a commitment of 270 billion the next decade and well pull our weight and continuing to invest in the relationships in the indopacific, to pursue peace, prosperity. Last month the landmark Economic Partnership between australia and indonesia came into force. In june our close friend indian Prime Minister announced elevation of our ties to a comprehensive Strategic Partnership. In a Virtual Summit with my good friend, Prime Minister shinzo abe, we had an agreement on space cooperation and both taking concrete action to support our pacific and Southeast Asian friends and family. My visits to vietnam last year was the first bilateral visit by an australian leader in 25 years. Were glad to increased the depth and breadth and economics of the relationship. And as first dollar partner, australia is working more closely than ever with the Southeast Asian nations. Its crucial, trade, technology, people to people exchange. And reinforce what we call the International Society. Its the sign for our family in the islands of the southwest pacific where we have a special responsibility. We all want a region thats strategically secure, economic stable and politically sovereign and thats what australias pacific step up which weve initiated is all about. As we fight the challenges of covid19 its never been more important. Weve provided ppe, and medical, and the humanitarian corrid corridor. The critical supplies get where theyre needed most. This is happening despite the increasing uncertainty in the indopacific and beyond. Australia is not a bystander, were not leaving that to others. Not in our region, thats not in our interest. Not in the multilateral and the twin crisis of our lifetime. We are all using elements of state craft to shape the world that we want to see. I emphasize that were well call it as we see it, International Institutions are most effective when theyre driven by and responsive to the society of sovereign states that fall them. And there are systems of a wellfunctioning society at stake, not the cause. Global institutions and their bureaucracies become unaccountable, when they become vulnerable to manipulation or coercion and lose the confidence in their membership, they fail in their task to help the sovereign nation, a common set of rules to guide their relationships. In my institute speech last year, i described this trend as negative globalism and my view hasnt changed. As ive said and believe now, we believe in positive globalism where nations like australia engage directly with others as equal sovereign nation in pursuit of common. And to engagements with nations large and small. We have welcomed chinas rise as a Major Economic power, it has been great for our economy and the Global Economy in the indoPacific Region, but with the economic rise does come economic and broader strategic responsibilities. China has a role to enhance regional and global stability commensurate with the new status. Its about the broader global and regional interests rather than a narrow national or aspirational interest. Because global expectations are china are now higher and for the United States, together china and the United States have a special responsibility to uphold what described as the common set of rules that bildt an International Society. That means respecting International Law and peaceful resolution of disputes, including trade disputes. It made a commitment to rules based economic interaction. Neither coercion is the way forward. Finally i want to make this point. After the lessons weve learned of covid19 and were going through as a Global Community. Covid19 has been an unmitigated calamity for the world. Ill not go into them because were living them. There are new groupings of likeminded countries working together like never before, sharing information, supporting each other. Many new relationships have been with leaders and energizing old ones, enhanced and making a dynamic system. This is what our nations must continue to build on and expand the scope and scale of goals of likeminded countries. We must do this thoughtfully. We need to build a greater sense of unity across all elements of engagement. That means taking a more pragmatic, an australian way for relationships. Go do what works. A sense of unity amongst likeminded partners can be undermined if positive political and security relationships are accompanied by abracive or confrontational trade relationships. We should avoid where weve built cooperation. And the two have got to go together. Im not sure we should con strain the national instincts of Business People to compete in global markets, god forbid, but i do not argue that anyone should turn a blind eye. Approaches must be willing to they cannot work against each other in isolation from each other. A transactional approach can undo so many of the gains made in other parts of the relationships amongst likeminded powers. And its not particularly transactional. As we work with global partners, our alliance with global democracies will endure and strengthen with supply chains particularly in these times. Australia is committed to the closer with friends in europe. We look forward to the values and institutions that the United States has championed and shared. We do our fair share of the heavy lifting, weve got each ours backs. And as i said on the south lawn last year, we look to the United States, but we dont leave it to the United States, thats not who we are. Providing the balance underpins in an International Society depends greatly on the leadership of the United States. Americas long been a major stabilizing factor in the indoPacific Region and its continued here engagement is vital and welcomed. So the australian way it clear. We will play our part in maintaining the streak balance in the indopacific. We will invest in regional relationships because we all have a stake in the future and well strengthen our ties with federal liberal democracy and likeminded working with all partners in the region as well. Ladies and gentlemen, this marks 75 years since victory in the pacific. 1945 was the defining year in history, the year the Second World War ended the year that the United Nations formed. It was a year of doing, action that is built new friendships including with old enemies. Actions of peace and prosperity. Actions that assured a global strategic balance. Todays task, we must rebuild these International Societies anew. Thanks for your attention. Happy to take this. Thank you very much, mr. Prime minister. And i will dive right in. You called covid19 an unmitigated calamity. Today we heard from the World Health Organization that their investigators had begun conversations in wuhan, china, about the origins of covid19. Australia was the First Company that came out and really pressed the World Held Organization to open such a preb. Do you know when the world will find out conclusions . Will there be australian investigators included in any part of this team . What do you plan to do with the information you receive . Im pleased its underway, were not naive to the challenges of these types of reviews and inquirieienquiries. And we look to new zealand and the aappointment to the panel. Helen clark with our she will understand, i think, very acutely of what the expectations are of this inquiry and how much is at stake for the who in getting to the answers that are necessary. And answers that are simply necessary, the sole motivation of our call for such inquiry, so we understand what happened and that it doesnt happen again. We live in a part of the world where these types of viruses can spawn from any number of different locations. These could happen in many countries around the world. And so, its important that we just simply learn lessons. It is a practical task and it should not be seen in any political lens whatsoever and any suggestion it is, i think is very unhelpful. This is an honest and practical request why sovereign nations through an important multilateral flora find out what happened and how we can prevent is going again. Thats our aspiration, our ambition. Whether the task pursued by those running it can make at that aspiration ambition is up to them. Strategies support that every which way we can with making suggestions in response to nominations and well follow that through, but whether were formally part of the process or not is not our concern. We just want to make sure its a success. I welcome the appointments for the panel cochairs and that someone downunder was involved. And experience in the multilateral with particularly the u. N. And i took a lot for that appointment. Will you be able to trust the results and conclusions of this investigation if australias efforts arent part of it . We are part of the International System that produced this. Right. So we have no choice, but to and thats why theres such a heavy burden that falls on those driving it. They understand, im sure, the worlds expectations of them and the process now. Australias happy to play a role in that. We dont consider that our direct participation is a necessarily prerequisite for that to be a credible protest. That would be an arrogant thing to decide from australias point of view. And we will be welcome how it started, but whether it changes job, that will be determined by the job it does. I want to talk about how you have handled the pandemic within your own borders. Australia had some initial success with strong actions at the beginning with establishing this emergency cabinet for the state to make decisions, focusing on the unified message there. Schools in parts of your country, were debating whether or not to do that in this country. Why do you think your country had success . We call it covid we started moving in february shutting down our borders, particularly from mainland china. As the virus came out of wuhan, out of china, we have a large flow of people from australia and china. Those border changes were critical in preventing the first wave in australia and particularly our wonderful chineseaustralian community here, a million in a population of 25 million people, the chinas heritage. And came back and the discipline they showed in their communities was outstanding. We were able to contain and pulled together a National Cabinet as i described, called it, along with our state, province territories because under our constitution, theyre the level of government that makes decisions whether schools open or close and its important that we got a nationally consistent approach and provided in a sense, a national calm. Calm is the critical. Now, state about territories are pretty much covidfree. There are cases occasionally that come. We have strong quarantine arrangements for australias turning. Were experiencing right now a serious community outbreak. Particularly melbourne, known to all, im sure, many have contacts in melbourne. We go into a further stage of lo lockdowns for six weeks and the economic response, we have concerns about Emergency Centers being run or anything like that, we built up our icu capacity or Risk Capacity very significantly so were in a good place there, but what we also did was put massive economic support. Over 300 billion Balance Sheet and direct fiscal interventions to support the economy, income support payments, stimulus payments toward their beneficiaries, cash flow supports for the businesses, and support for child care centers, the list goes on and on, dont want to be tedious about it. Whats being done in japan and other countries, thats necessary because ive said from the outset on the first g20 call and Prime Minister trudeau was kind enough to sort of acknowledge this as well, that we cant just say this is a health crisis. Of course it is, its the worst pandemic seen in a hundred years, but its also the worst economic recession, possibly a lot worse, that the world has scenes since the Great Depression and these two things are happening at once and these things are happening at the same time, at a time of quite considerable strategic competition, so you have the overlying strategic instability factor. Particularly in our part of the world, which indeed makes these regrettably interesting times. And while we have the same debate here, its strategically different decisions made. And i am curious as to, you know, as a conservative, how you made those decisions to do things like expansion of Unemployment Benefits and child care aid in particular. I mean, its painful to have to spend like that, but youre saying in the midst of the crisis, you cant cut back on spending, fundamentally thats your conviction. Well, conservatives are practical. Im practical. You use the tools for the problem that youve got. You do it casually and carefully, but youre very understanding of the circumstances you face, these are not normally things you would do, but these are not normal times. People like teddy roosevelt, yers years ago had a similar approach to the world he faced and i suppose he is a described progressive. Ideology doesnt matter in times like this. And thats our approach. Australian help them through the worst circumstances theyve seen in their lifetimes. What theyve does particularly to your point is the time limit with this. These are not things that go into the never. What were doing is time and support to get australia pushing through because of the what were seeing in the private economy. And the private economy is experiencing that, not because of any weaknesses or failures on their part. I think this is important to understand this point. The world has gone into recession, not because of some failure of the economic system. Capitalism hasnt failed. Thats not whats happened here. Its a Global Pandemic thats necessitated the introduction of artificial restrictions on the broader economy. As a result, when government does that, well, it also has to try to make up the difference to ensure that people can stay in their jobs and take their businesses and a lot of our interventions has been about maintaining the viability of businesses because we know what i want on the other side of this is businesses to be viable and to be able to move again to employ people to invest and at the same time australia is determining long Economic Reforms on the supplies side and skills training and more for the industrial nations, energy, gas, all of these things important about the future. I want to move on to china. Before i do quickly i would like to get your read where we are with vaccine diplomacy. If we are lucky enough to get a vaccine on the timeline thats projected, if the u. S. Or the u. K. Get there first. China gets there first, had australia have access to that . Do you know who is first in line . No one knows who will get there first. But with were involved in assuring we have the ability to produce most of these vaccines ourselves. Not all the various vaccines, and some for the United States and thats it, if the discussions ive had with other leaders theres a strong view, whoever finds it must share. Share, make it patentfree, is that what that means or how would sharing it. It should be out there as widely and freely available as possible to ensure that the world can deal with this. Thats certainly our view and we pressed that view. I think the idea of any country hoarding or seeking to restrict the vaccine in these circumstances would be, in our view, unimaginable, and its important. I mean, all countries were investing over 300 million in these initiatives and doing it through multilateral agencies as well as in australia and were working cooperatively. With likeminded countries i see no impediment, whether its france, england, United States and we would any founder to the Global Community to be open and transparent. Australia was the first country to be able to reproduce the genetic type for covid and we shared it with the world. We didnt try to sell it, didnt try to capitalize on it, or leverage it. We shared it. So weve led by example there. And youve had this conversation with President Trump . Have you received reassurances thats how the u. S. Will approach it as well . All the discussions weve had with all leaders and ive said this publicly on many occasions now, i think the world would look very dimly on any country that found a vaccine that did not take a Global Response out of compassion and out of the global interest. When is the last time you spoke with xi jinping . It was at the g20 last year. Last year. You noted in your remarks there and ive noted in preparing for this conversation how much australia has been investing in trying to refurbish its military to counter balance chinas influence in that region . What is it driving that . Do you think that australia needs to assert itself more independently from the United States which remains a key ally . Why do you feel you need to do this right now . Well, its not just now. Its been since we came to Government Back in 2013 and building up our defense spending to gdp. Thats one of our core commitments when we came to government and were there this year and thats now a not a target. And one of the largest capabilities, the largest since the Second World War and weve been following through that whether its our submarine fleet, joint Strike Fighter capability or many other investments capability. And carries its own. This is a very big investment. The strategic update on our defense plan built the capacity to keep potential adversaries further away for longer and this was an acknowledgment, i think, in the broader threats that we have to deal with Going Forward and even in a shorter time frame possibly than we considered. These are all precautionary, preventive steps, these are all steps taken with like minded paths. Weve been elevating the core of our relationship, japan, india, australia, the United States for some time now. And all this have is about achieving the strategic, i think, counter balance within the region. What we want is peace and stability in the region. What we want is trade with china and all countries in our region to continue to grow and develop. For that to be done in stable and peaceful environment and thats what we want and i would hope that all countries in the region would want that and that Economic Development doesnt lead to a development towards a strategic balance towards the region. Well, the former Prime Minister of australia has an article this week talking about and predicting, he says for the first time actual Armed Conflict between the u. S. And china now appears possible for the First Time Since the end of the korean war we are confronting the prospect of what he calls not a new cold war, but a hot one as well. This is hyperbolic or do you view whats happening in your back yard as what hes laying out . Well, our defense update expresses it differently and certainly not as dramatically as kevin has. But in our own defense update weve acknowledged that what was previously inconceivable and not considered even possible or likely in terms of those, is not considered in those contexts anymore. So there has been a change. Theres obviously been a change and i think thats terribly remarkable. And as a result, i think you know, the alignment, the activities of countries that share similar outlooks and sometimes not even the same outlook, i mean, i mentioned in my remarks as the tremendous relationship that weve had with vietnam. Now you couldnt have two systems more different to australias than vietnam, but that said, we totally share views on things like the South China Sea, on trading relationships within our region and many other important issues. I look forward to the time where i can join the Prime Minister again, and there was a hot point in our relationship with vietnam. Its not just with those with whom you say you have like minded political outlooks in terms of how we structure our society. Its where we share the outlooks in the region. In indopacific, regardless of what ones political system is, they all want to be, quite rightly, independent sovereign nations free of any interference and the opportunity to develop and enhance their economies and society to the benefit of their people and the United States presence in the region has always been a very positive force to achieve that. I would like to see, as china has grown, as in an economy which we welcome very much and i suppose thats a different point of view from some of the views to the United States. We welcome chinas growth. Its been great for the australia and the region. We dont want a broader instability in the region, we believe that will undermine prosperity in the region. What do you mean instability. What are you thinking when you use that phrase . Its important to look at two levels, strategic competition between the United States and china and i think the rest of the nations in the region every action taken by one of us is only seen through the lens of that strategic competition between those two very large states. And the truth is, were all countries with our own agency. Were all countries with our own interests and our own participation and were not sure particularly when we get around the summit table or the dialog to take place, that its an important opportunity, i think, for the United States and china to hear the views of the many other countries that live in this region and china and u. S. Both have a very strong role to play, but i think the United States has done benevolently for a long time and trading with the United States provides that stability. We just want to simply see that these issues are managed in such a way and ambitions are managed in such way so as not to undermine regional stability. Thats our national interest. Its the interest of so many countries in our region and thats why i think we have such an excellent relationship with so many countries in our region. I take your point, particular will that americans always think its about us. [laughter] but no, no. If you will indulge me, were selfaware on that point, but were right now in a heated Political Climate and race in the United States and im not going to ask you to talk about u. S. Politics, but i do want to frame it because right now both candidates are trying to argue that they will be tougher on china than the other one. Joe biden is saying that and called xi jinping is thug and donald trump has upped his rhetoric along with his administration in terms of the threat posed by china. Putting the race aside, just look at the few months ahead of you and how concerned are you that in this environment that this is not going to be possible to dial back tension and that there is a collision course that youre in the middle of. Firstly, theres a political to a lot of the commentary thats running at present and i believe that other nations, particularly in our region, are quite capable of understanding that and the context in which many comments are being made. Now, there is an understanding of that dimension of the heat of some of these comments. Thats not to say there arent real and genuine intent and meaning behind those statements with you, but language is dialed up and down. In indonesia, china, japan, we get theres politics and we get the context comments are made. Directionally it describes growing tension, strategically, and the posts may be different. The point i make about the United States and australia, we have different views because the relationship with china is different. The u. S. Has a deficit with china and we have a surplus. That changes the economic side of it. That doesnt mean it makes us hostage to that economic relationship at all. The reason we have such a good trading relationship with china. Despite the talk, our level of trade with china has never been stronger, why . Because we make and sell things that they need and they make and sell things that we need. And its a mutual economically beneficial relationship. It goes broader into a Strategic Partnership. Its a mutual benefit. Its a twoway mutually beneficial relationship with australia and china and we want to see that preserve. But it cant be preserved in any imbalanced way. Its preserved by each others aspects and outlooks. The United States has a different lens on the problem because of the nature of their relationship with china and what the nature of the trading relationship is and there are many issues raised around intellectual property and the joint ventures. We face that as well. The scale is different because of the nature of what makes up our relationship is predominantly resources and commodities and volume and dollars and unit. So, to assume australia and the United States has an identical outlook on china would be false because the circumstances are completely different. The geography is completely different. And while were highly integrated and assigned on the overall macro view, how we pursue that and express it and do it will always be uniquely australia and it should be. Were a sovereign nation. And one of the criticisms that it made in australia is that somehow that its tied inextricably to the precise metric of the yoiUnited States. To look at it that way would be to misunderstand australia and missing the opportunity to work with australia in a constructive way. What did you mean in the speech when you said we need to prepare for a covid world thats poorer and more dangerous and disorderly and you talked about the region facing an existential threat unseen since the 1930s and 1940. I meant exactly what i what is that threat . What were seeing is three highly destabilizing elements in the world today and for australias point of view they coalesce here in the region in which we live. We have the biggest economic recession, if not depression since the Great Depression. We have the Largest Health crisis the world has seen in 100 years. We have a strategic expressing through the region. And ambitions following the economic rise of china thats putting a lot of pressure on the system. While the precise circumstances arent what we saw in the 1930s, the combination of forces are very similar. Now, im more optimistic, way more optimistic that the outcome of the 1930s doesnt need to be the same today and thats why in the remarks ive made today, its about ensuring that doesnt occur with likeminded, by the actions of sovereign states to avoid the outcomes and the Necessary Balance to keep the system working. To tend the garden as i said. The multilateral we support, australia has been there part of the inessential. Australia has supported the continued funding of the who. Why . Because i know in new guinea and places like that, and we have questions about what happens further up the tree, but on the ground we want to support that rephrase that, we acknowledge the imperfections and we think they should be fixed and well call it out as we see it. We remain engaged. The multilateral flora shouldnt get ahead of themselves telling how to run their own countries. Sovereign state is sovereign and should be a greater appreciation of that and i think thats behind the frustration of the global institution, they feel they have a mandate extend beyond what is given to them by sovereign states and in my view, its for many, many years. I have another a few questions, just want to remind those listening and watching that they should get their questions ready for the Prime Minister shortly and get in that queue. You know, the rest of the world watches particularly australia decides to do on the Technology Front with an eye towards china. Last month you said your government was looking closely at tiktok, the social Media Company and you directed your intelligence agencies look at it. And moth looked at to buy that to the risk that you saw posed by tiktok. Weve looked at it and having done that, that theres any misuse of any peoples data, that is had occurred at least from the australian perspective. Theres plenty of things on tiktok which are embarrassing enough to public so its that sort of a social media device, thats it. I think our responses, that australians have to be very aware and its not just with tiktok and things like that, the same thing is true with facebook and social media platforms. Information is provided that goes back in the system. Now, its true that with applications like tick doc, that information can be enacted on a sovereign state level. Thats not the case with applications coming out of the United States, but i think that people should understand and theres a theres nothing at this point that would suggest to us that security interests are being compromised or australian citizens are compromised because of whats happening with the applications, but people should know that the line connects right back to china and they should exercise their own judgment whether they should participate in those or not. There is a greater level of transparency, i would argue about how applications like whatsapp and things like that, if you go on those how the data is used and handled and managed, thats pretty upfront relatively speaking compared to tiktok and things like that. So, look, i think letting the sunshine in on all of these things is the best way to handle them and for consumers be aware of what theyre using. So to be clear your intelligence agencies concluded there was no Security Threat . That theres no reason for us to restrict those applications at this point. Well obviously keep watching them. Theres no evidence to suggest to us today that that is necessary, but i would stress strongly to any australian listening to this and those who are reporting on it that people need to understand, where the extension cord goes back to. You would australia was the first, if i remember, to ban huawei and the rest of the western allies looked closely at that decision. How do you balance that decision to deal with all the economic realties that you laid out in terms of having to have good relations with china on that front with your concerns about the potential risk and potential espionage . Well, the internet of things, a broad array of applications and use for that technology previously. The integrity and the security of australian sovereign systems, i think, have to be protected above all else. This was a decision not directed necessarily at any one supplier, that assured that australia builds its 5g network, as we speak, it can be done in a sovereign way and thats appearing using technology we believe can best support those objectives. Thats what weve done, done it in our national interest. We havent said that should do this, and making the same decision. We make the decision for australia. And let me stress this because the point often comes up with foreign investment. Australia has the most liberal Foreign Investments rules of any conduct. The United States is our biggest Investment Partner and countries like united kingdom, also. China, while, has been a growing the Fastest Growing of foreign business in australia, it doesnt come close to the level of Foreign Investments out of the United States and united kingdom. You can invest in australia in things that australian can invest in many regions including china. These are reciprocal investments, we set out interference rules thats what the term and judgment and nothing else. We have the most protrade, pro investment id argue than any count country. Did you do a review of chinese diplomates who are do you think one needs to be done given the decision in this country to shut down the houston consulate that the Trump Administration carried out a few weeks ago. They specifically, in briefings, pointed out that the consul general in that station had previously been posted in australia and talked about houston as a hub for espionage. How can we understand that . And was there something you shared . Well, you wouldnt expect me to go into any of these details and understand why youd ask, but obviously australia doesnt go into how we manage our Security Affairs in a public forum and never do. We obviously have the intelligence relationships we have through partnerships which are wellknown, but i can assure that that australia is very, very conscienceous, i would argue were the most successful integration country in the world and clearly so, that means we bring people from all over the world, from many different languages and it works here in australia. Were very Successful Multicultural Society and we want to protect all of our citizens. And this is people credited at diplomates. I understand that. Im not going to talk about how we work with partners. And i assure you you want to know, but thats a reasonable question to ask, but not to give a detailed response. We do have questions from our viewers who will be unmuted in the queue as they are called on. And, but first i see here is fr from you make sure youre unmuted. There and unmuted. Good morning, Prime Minister. I have two questions, regarding mention about information to of recent time you observed that option has been used [inaudible] as a members of the alliance, how will australia act in preventing strategic interruption and free society developing, low Income Countries and how does australia plan to engage with india Going Forward about to receive con saints and confronting with respect to china. Thanks for that question. A lot in all of that. Let me start by saying that our relationship with india has gone to a whole new level and that is principally been, i must put down to the great friendship that we had modi who has been an extraordinary participant on the global stage as a great partner in things i have been talking about today, the alignment, the appreciation, the understanding of the world we live in. What like minded countries need to do to assure prosperity in the future. Thats why weve upped the relationship with india at a strategic level and we want to see the relationship grow. The intelligence relationship is all on an upward curve and shared appreciation of these Strategic Issues that ive outlined today. And quality in particular is an important part of that relationship and that is elevating, but its doing it at its own pace and respectful of the pace of all partners how they want to pursue it particularly india and thats a positive thing. So that is the principal means by which we would be working together to create this balance in the region and i see india is absolutely essential to that process and indias own growth is something that weve invested in and supportive of and we want to see flourish. Theres many challenges in the India Economy that know that better than anyone and hes pro Investment Policies and have been very aggressive and right and going back to his times, and i mean, they are the sorts of things that we welcome and would like to see continue, so all i can really say is that india is a huge part, a massive part of this strategic balance thats necessary to ensure not only indias success and growth into the future, but all of our success and id say chinas as well. Getting the right balance is good for china. I think this is an important point, margaret. A strategic balance in the region is good for china. Its good for People Living in china. Its good for their jobs. Its good for their investment. Its good for their education. Its good for their outlook. We want that and we believe that that is achieved through a balance in the region we can have everybody to share. The next question from edward. Please unmute yourself. Thank you, margaret and thank you, Prime Minister, for sharing your thoughts today. Im with the financial times. I would ask you about your comment you said made about china, being in chinas interest to have balance in the region. Do you share the pretty much concensus view in washington now days that we are in a new cold war with china . And if so, how would you like the next american administration, whether its a Trump Administration or a Biden Administration to handle this cold war . I dont know if id use that term and the mention rather earlier, hes made some comments on this and about the differences between what we knew of the previous cold war and today. I think he did that. And i wouldnt use the same terminology, i think the circumstances are quite different, but to go to your point about the United States and again, this is no commentary on the political administration, that would be highly inappropriate. I would say that our relationship with the United States is independent, frankly of whoever sits in my chair or the president s chair. We made this point when we were together last year. Its up to all leaders on both sides of the relationship to make sure it remains as strong as possible. Thats always been the case. Weve been celebrating a century between the United States and australia most recently and the United States focus on our region and its understanding of the priorities is very important to us. And i think its important to all countries. So thatsed usual is the same position that the United States is able to fulfill within the world and its interest in the indopacific is obviously an important issue that contributes to the stability thats here in our region. So, without commentating on the specific views of the republicans or democrats going into this election, that commitment to the relationship, that commitment to the capability thats necessary from the United States into the future, this is important global stability, is highly important and obviously, wed be keen to see that mark being met. And we have time for an additional question from nick fern, who will be hopping on shortly as well to wrap us up, but i want to piggyback on that and ask you, mr. Prime minister, as i hand it off to nick, why you havent spoken to xi jinping since last year. There hasnt been an opportunity to do so, but the welcome and invitation to start the discussion is always there from our perspective. I spoke to premier jinping, we had the leaders dialog under the Strategic Partnership last year in bangkok along the asia summit and having those annually. So theres been a continuation of the Strategic Partnership over this period and so thats important, but look, i dont get hung up on these things, to be honest, margaret. The phone there works and obviously, weve been engaging countries and we have the engagement through our embassies and those things are of less concern to me and what matters is the trading relationship, the economic relationship is able to be thats appearing and has frustrations from time to time. But global, specifically thats in everyones interest, and thats the strategic, how we express that will differ from time to time, the way that the United States does. I believe thats an objective of the United States as well. The strategic competition issues between the United States and china are different to our relationship with china and that would explain many and most of the differences you might see, that we welcomed greatly in the United States and the region. Nick. Prime minister, thank you very much for the interview. Margaret, thank you for being such a great moderator. Prime minister, theres a lot of faith here in australia, i think in both of our Political Parties as we face a real threat from china. I think thats how most people here perceive it and were bullish on the alliance with you and your government as well as with the quad, with the indians and japanese and wonder if you have any final thoughts how we should be handling this big push for power if you look at the indian border, the uyghurs, the South China Sea by the military. I think that line may be muted at the moment. Mr. Prime minister, can you unmute your line . Yeah. Thank you. What i was trying to say, that is the question about all the things. Im an optimist, australians indefatiguable optimists, whether its covid, floods, fire, depressions, thats just how we roll. And i think we have to take an optimistic attitude, but not an unrealistic or naive attitude. Were not naive about the pressures, these tensions these issues. But weve got to weigh ourselves to the objective here and thats not suppression or containment of any one state, its about the productive and strategic balance that can be achieved and thats why were in the quad. And thats why were engaged and thats why i went to vietnam, thats why were doing all of these things. Theres an objective here which we genuinely believe benefits all interests here, but it does mean and i made this comment last year and that there is a recognition that the balance has shifted based on just the practical issue of chinas economic growth, which by the way, we all championed and we all encouraged and i dont regret, not for a second. I think its great, but i think we have different perspectives what that would lead to both from the rest of the world and from china themselves. So i think its too to sort of take stock of that. How can that be accommodated appropriately and assure that we have a strategic balance that does not impinning on the sovereignty of nation ins this part of the world and thats why the South China Sea trading relationships, foreign interferen interference, whats happening terribly in hong kong is important because it goes how the strategic balance will play out and its in everybodys interest to have that strategic balance be assured. Not to have one group against the others, but assure the citizens of all of our countries can have a peaceful future. Thank you, mr. Prime minister in a difficult time. Thank you to all in the u. S. Margaret thank you so much. Thank you, margaret. And the senate about to gavel back in. No votes are currently scheduled as talks continue off the floor on another Coronavirus Relief bill. Take you live now to the senate floor. The president pro tempore the senate will come to order. The chaplain, dr. Black, will open the senate with prayer. The chaplain let us pray. Eternal god, our star of hope, continue to be the light that enables us to see the way. Lead our lawmakers to accomplish your work on earth making them your agents