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AAP
AAP
Politics
Finbar O'Mallon

Marles, Wong to visit United States, Japan

Penny Wong and Richard Marles will hold meetings aimed at fostering stability in the Indo-Pacific. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong will head to the United States and Japan next month for a series of high-level defence and security talks.

The round tables are aimed at working with Washington and Tokyo to foster stability in the Indo-Pacific.

"The current challenging strategic circumstances mean that alignment between our international partners, including the United States and Japan, has never been stronger or more important," Mr Marles said on Saturday.

Ms Wong highlighted the importance of Australia, the US and Japan working together to create peace in the Indo-Pacific.

"(We) are partnering on shared priorities in our region, including climate change, economic development and security - helping create a region that is stable, prosperous and respectful of sovereignty," Ms Wong said.

The pair will visit the US first for talks with their defence and foreign affairs counterparts, Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken respectively on December 6.

Mr Marles, who is also defence minister, will meet with Britain's defence minister, Ben Wallace, with the pair discussing the new AUKUS alliance with Mr Austin.

In Japan, Ms Wong and Mr Marles will meet with Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa and Defence Minister Hamada Yasukazu on December 9 to discuss trade and security ties.

China was not mentioned in the government's announcement on Saturday but its operations in the Indo-Pacific have long caused alarm in the West.

Australia has only recently emerged from a deep freeze in diplomatic relations after clashes over trade and the origins of COVID-19.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Chinese President Xi Jinping last month on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Indonesia, raising expectations of closer bilateral ties.

A delegation of federal MPs from across the political spectrum will also conduct an unofficial five-day goodwill mission in Taiwan.

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