This week in Australian foreign affairs: a Five Eyes statement on Hong Kong, Australia-New Zealand Foreign Minister Consultations, the Australia-Singapore Digital Economy Agreement, and more.

On 10 August, Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne released a joint statement on Hong Kong with her Five Eyes counterparts. The Foreign Ministers stated that they are “gravely concerned by the Hong Kong government’s unjust disqualification of candidates and disproportionate postponement of Legislative Council elections.”

Payne also participated in the biannual Australia-New Zealand Foreign Minister Consultations on 6 August with New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters. The Ministers noted that their cooperation during COVID-19 has “reinforced the closeness of the ties” between Australia and New Zealand.

Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Defence Richard Marles gave an address to the National Press Club on 4 August. He accused the Morrison government of mishandling Australia’s relationship with China, stating that “right now, the adults – such as they exist in the government – are asleep and they are leaving the field vacant to fringe dwellers on the government side who …  are doing significant damage to what is a critical relationship for this country.”

On 6 August, Minister for Trade Simon Birmingham and Singapore’s Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sung digitally signed the Australia-Singapore Digital Economy Agreement (DEA). The DEA upgrades the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement with a new Digital Economy chapter and will “further enhance digital trade opportunities for businesses and consumers” in both nations.

On 10 August, Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds announced that more than 1,000 US Marines have completed quarantine in the Northern Territory, “with training now well underway as part of this year’s Marine Rotational Force – Darwin.”

On 5 August, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong responded to the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic and Economic Partnership with Papua New Guinea. Wong referred to the agreement as “overdue” and said that “more needs to be done to ensure we are the partner of choice in the Pacific and to strengthen our region’s stability.”

Isabella Keith is an intern at AIIA National Office.

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