'Inconceivable' Australia would not join U.S. to defend Taiwan - Australian defence minister

MELBOURNE, Nov 13 (Reuters) - It would be "inconceivable" for Australia not to join the United States should Washington take action to defend Taiwan, Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton said on Saturday.

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the United States and its allies would take unspecified "action" if China were to use force to alter the status quo over Taiwan.

"It would be inconceivable that we wouldn't support the U.S. in an action if the U.S. chose to take that action," Dutton told The Australian newspaper in an interview.

"And, again, I think we should be very frank and honest about that, look at all of the facts and circumstances without pre-committing, and maybe there are circumstances where we wouldn't take up that option, (but) I can't conceive of those circumstances."

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/inconceivable-australia-would-not-join-us-defend-taiwan-australian-defence-2021-11-12/