NEW YORK -- In a move likely to irk Beijing, the U.S. and Australia look to strengthen the web of regional alliances and partnerships to maintain a rules-based Indo-Pacific.
The topic of China dominated the "two plus two" dialogue, where U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Mark Esper hosted Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defense Minister Linda Reynolds. Their two-day gathering in Washington, which ended Tuesday, was the 30th edition of the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations, or AUSMIN.
