CANBERRA, Australia: On Wednesday, leaders from Australia and New Zealand forged an agreement to pursue strengthened defence connections, with the latter contemplating the sharing of advanced military technologies with the United States and Britain within the AUKUS partnership.
Newly elected New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon chose Australia as the inaugural stop for his overseas visit after assuming office through a coalition government in October. During his meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Sydney, Luxon announced their consensus to convene the defense and foreign ministers from both nations in early 2024, emphasizing the importance of aligning and coordinating their plans.
“We know we’re facing a more challenging and complex world. Close security and defense relationships we have with our only ally, Australia, is very foundational for New Zealand,” Luxon told reporters.
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“New Zealand is committed to doing our share of the heavy lifting in the alliance and I’m determined that New Zealand will continue to be alongside Australia as we seek to advance our shared interests and our common values,” Luxon added.
Luxon mentioned New Zealand’s keen interest in joining AUKUS Pillar 2, wherein the three partners commit to collaboratively advancing and exchanging sophisticated military capabilities encompassing artificial intelligence, electronic warfare, and hypersonics.
