The Indo-Pacific region has become the epicentre of strategic competition and like-minded nations need to act more consistently and cohesively to protect their shared interests in the face of multiple challenges, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday.
In an address at the Raisina Dialogue, Morrison said the pandemic has provided a fresh perspective in creating new opportunities to build a durable strategic balance in the Indo-Pacific region.
Without mentioning any country, the Australian Prime Minister also referred to the growing tensions over territorial claims and the unprecedented pace of military modernisation in the region. “Democratic sovereign nations are being threatened and coerced by foreign interference. Cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated, including from state-sponsored actors,” he said at the virtual conference.
“Economic coercion is being employed as a tool of statecraft. Liberal rules and norms are under assault and there is a great polarisation that our world is at risk of moving towards,” Morrison said.