AUKUS, allies and partners

AUKUS is making waves internationally as an ambitious program of industrial integration, economic development, and strategic alignment between the US and two of its strongest allies. As other likeminded states in the Indo-Pacific consider their strategic options in a period of rapid geostrategic change, there is increasing discussion of expanding participation in AUKUS through formal and informal partnerships, demonstrated most clearly in a recent decision of the AUKUS defence ministers to consider cooperation with Japan on AUKUS Pillar II advanced capability projects. At this event, panellists Dr Zack Cooper, Senior Fellow, American Enterprise Institute; Professor Peter Dean, Director, Foreign Policy and Defence, United States Studies Centre; Jennifer Parker, Expert Associate at the National Security College, Australian National University and an Adjunct Fellow in Naval Studies at the University of New South Wales Canberra, and Professor Alessio Patalano, Professor of War and Strategy in East Asia discussed the potential for widening AUKUS participation to other likeminded states, including Japan, South Korea, Canada, the Philippines, and New Zealand. Panellists discussed the case for and against expanding participation in AUKUS and what expanded participation in AUKUS would look like in practice. Hayley Channer, Director, Economic Security at the United States Studies Centre moderated the discussion.This event was part of the United States Studies Centre's "Next Generation Leaders in the Australia-US Alliance initiative" and was supported by funding from the US State Department.