WASHINGTON -- Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby provided the following readout:

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Australian Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds today to reaffirm the enduring strength of the U.S.- Australia Alliance – also known as the Unbreakable Alliance.

Secretary Austin and Minister Reynolds committed to sustain progress on Alliance priorities, including outcomes from the 2020 Australia-U.S. Ministerial (AUSMIN) meeting. They reiterated their support for like-minded approaches to address security challenges throughout the Indo-Pacific region.

Secretary Austin and Minister Reynolds acknowledged the close alignment in both nations’ perspectives and priorities in addressing pressing regional and global security concerns.

Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific, founded on existing international law and norms in a region free of malign behavior.