Written by staff writer.
Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) 2023
Australia and the United States will deepen their working relationship across a range of security measures, including cybersecurity, according to a statement released by both countries following the AUSMIN consultations in Brisbane over the weekend.
Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles met with their US counterparts Secretary of State Antony Blinkin and Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin on July 28 and 29 to discuss various security issues, including cyber. Both sides raised concerns about the increased scale and severity of malicious cyber-attacks, saying they would hold those responsible to account.
The respective ministers and secretaries reiterated their support for the UN Open Ended Working Group and the UN Programme of Action “to advance responsible state behaviour in cyberspace and protect an open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful cyberspace founded upon international law and norms.”
Cybersecurity was one of nine security issues raised during the two-day meetings. Meriting special mention was the role both countries play in building cyber capabilities in smaller Pacific nations through the Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP) program, with Australia and the US committing to joint financing for sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including cyber infrastructure, in the region.
Underscoring that, Blinken told media that the United States was focused on strengthening its relationships with Pacific Island countries, saying he, Secretary Austin, Douglas Emhoff (husband of the US Vice President), and Secretary of the Interior, Debra Haaland had all visited Pacific nations on their way to AUSMIN.
“We’re elevating our engagement with the Pacific Islands Forum, where we’re partnering on shared priorities like promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth and making our communities more resilient to climate change,” he said.
The Brisbane meetings coincided with a New York Times report, citing military, intelligence, and security officials, that suggests Chinese government hackers have planted malware in critical US communications and power networks, aiming to activate it during a conflict.
The Chinese stealth campaign, reportedly underway since mid-2021, is intended to disrupt and disable the US military. With its substantial military presence, the US territory of Guam is a particular focus of Chinese campaigns. However, analysts have detected malicious cyber activity across the United States.
This news comes as the Philippines, one of the most proximate nations to Guam and a key US ally, is poised to approve a five-year national cybersecurity plan that outlines that country’s overall cybersecurity strategy. Top Filipino officials held a governance and security forum in Manila last week.
“It (the strategy) identifies the areas where the critical infrastructures need to be secured and what particular aggrupation of agencies will be addressing that on the civilian and military sides,” said Information and Communications Technology Secretary Ivan John Uy.
The forum discussed the Chinese government’s clear “strategic and tactical interest” in the region. It noted that Pacific rim countries like the United States, Canada, Japan, and Australia have also sought closer cooperation with the Philippines on cybersecurity.
