Australia cannot be ‘passive bystanders’ in a war between US and China, Richard Marles says

Defence minister says consequences of a conflict over Taiwan are so grave' and says status of island must be arrived at peacefully'

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A war between the United States and China over the future of Taiwan would be so grave" that Australia cannot be passive bystanders", the defence minister has said.

Richard Marles pushed back at the idea advanced by some commentators - including the former Labor prime minister Paul Keating - that Taiwan is not a vital Australian interest".

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