The allies will invest US$1 billion in various critical minerals projects in a bid to cut their reliance on dominant supplier China.

President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have signed a critical-minerals deal at the White House

Australia's statements about an incident involving Chinese military aircraft over the South China Sea are an attempt to cover up an Australian "intrusion" into Chinese airspace, the Chinese defence ministry said on Wednesday.

Canberra criticizes PLA fighter aircraft's “unsafe” interaction in South China Sea but Beijing dismisses claims as fallacy.

The U.S. military still commands unmatched global reach, yet the margin of advantage over China is no longer as assured as it once seemed. For Australia, the question is not whether the alliance remains strong, but whether U.S. confidence accurately reflects the evolving balance and the risks that come with it.

China has accused Australia of a military cover-up in the South China Sea, just hours after delivering a chilling warning following America’s endorsement of the AUKUS pact.

While Trump and Albanese greeted each other warmly, the U.S. president expressed ire about past criticism of him by Australia's ambassador Kevin Rudd, a former prime minister.

China accused Australia of distorting facts and using inflammatory rhetoric following a mid-air encounter between the nations’ military aircraft and urged Canberra to avoid undermining bilateral ties.