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Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Defence Minister Marise Payne met with their US counterparts Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense James Mattis over the past two days for the annual Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution in California. It came against the backdrop of continued scrutiny of President Trump's performance alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Helsinki Summit last week, and questions about the future role of the United States in Asia.

A joint statement released at the conclusion of the talks emphasised both the secretaries and ministers' commitment to engagement in the Indo-Pacific with regards to both defence and economic cooperation. It noted a determination to "oppose actions that seek to undermine the international rules-based order", and also acknowledged the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17, expressing full confidence in the findings of the Joint Investigation Team concerning Russia’s role.