Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong will head to Japan, China and South Korea this week to talk energy supplies, ahead of the Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s expected visit to the continent in early May.
Wong will first go to Tokyo on Monday to meet her Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi and other ministers, according to a government statement on Sunday. She will discuss energy and fuel security, the war in the Middle East and other topics, according to the statement.
The two nations have a “relationship built on trust, aligned values, and mutual interests. Together, we support a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient,” Wong said in the statement.
Japan and Australia are set to sign a deal on deepening economic security ties during Takaichi’s visit, Japanese media reported this month, with the two nations building up defense links and now sharing weapons procurement. The two countries are increasing defense spending and taking a more active security stance as China grows more assertive and the US becomes less reliable.
After Tokyo, Wong heads to Beijing on Wednesday for a regular strategic dialog meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Wong is then set to visit Seoul for discussions with Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, likely to focus on energy and fuel.
Korea is one of Australia’s most important sources of refined fuels, Wong said in the statement, adding that the government is working to ensure that countries in the region prioritize exporting to Australia.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
