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Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong said that she looked forward to meeting her Quad partners and expanding their cooperation.
Wong added that Quad partners shared an unwavering commitment to a stable Indo-Pacific. She also said that she looked forward to meeting External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Japan's Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya- her Quad partners. "The Foreign Ministers of India and Japan will also attend the inauguration. I look forward to engaging with my Quad counterparts. We share an unwavering commitment to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific," she said. Further, Wong added that she will meet members of Trump's administration and discuss ways to expand their cooperation. "Today I will depart for the United States to attend the inauguration of President Donald Trump in Washington DC. The invitation to attend is a demonstration of the steadfast alliance between Australia and the United States and I look forward to representing Australia," she said in a statement. Wong said that the US is an important ally of Australia. "The United States is our vital ally, closest global partner, and most important strategic relationship. The US is also Australia's most significant economic partner and, together, we continue to boost each other's prosperity," the statement read. Wong mentioned that she will meet the members of the congress and discuss how they can strengthen bilateral ties. "While in Washington DC, I will meet with members of the Trump Administration and Congress. I look forward to discussing how we can advance the benefits of our strong economic and security partnership and expand our cooperation," she said. Jaishankar met Wong in Washington DC. He said that he enjoyed their discussion on the state of the world. "Delighted to meet FM Penny Wong, a Quad colleague, in Washington DC today. As always, enjoyed our discussion on the state of the world," he said in a post on X. The Quad is a diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States committed to supporting an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient. (ANI)
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