<p id="thickbox_headline">Australia and Japan will sign a treaty on Thursday to increase defense and security cooperation in a move that has been hailed as “historic” but which might anger China.</p>.<p>Prime ministers Scott Morrison of Australia and Fumio Kishida of Japan will meet in a virtual summit to sign the agreement, which Morrison said “will underpin greater and more complex practical engagement between the Australian Defense Force and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces."</p>.<p>“Australia and Japan are the closest of friends,” Morrison added.</p>.<p>“Our special strategic partnership is stronger than it has ever been, reflecting our shared values, our commitment to democracy and human rights and our common interests in a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific region.”</p>.<p>In September, Australia signed the so-called Aukus trilateral security pact with the United States and Britain under which those two countries pledged to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines.</p>.<p>The deal upset China, which said that Aukus “seriously undermined regional peace and stability, intensified the arms race and undermined international non-proliferation efforts.”</p>.<p>In a statement on Wednesday, Morrison described the latest treaty with Japan as historic and said “it will, for the first time, provide a clear framework for enhanced interoperability and cooperation between our two forces."</p>.<p>“This treaty will be a statement of our two nations' commitment to work together in meeting the shared strategic security challenges we face and to contribute to a secure and stable Indo-Pacific," Morrison said.</p>.<p>The US and Australia, along with India and Japan, are also members of a strategic dialogue known as “the Quad," and Morrison said Wednesday that Australia would contribute “an expanding agenda” for that as well. </p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH videos:</strong></p>
<p id="thickbox_headline">Australia and Japan will sign a treaty on Thursday to increase defense and security cooperation in a move that has been hailed as “historic” but which might anger China.</p>.<p>Prime ministers Scott Morrison of Australia and Fumio Kishida of Japan will meet in a virtual summit to sign the agreement, which Morrison said “will underpin greater and more complex practical engagement between the Australian Defense Force and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces."</p>.<p>“Australia and Japan are the closest of friends,” Morrison added.</p>.<p>“Our special strategic partnership is stronger than it has ever been, reflecting our shared values, our commitment to democracy and human rights and our common interests in a free, open and resilient Indo-Pacific region.”</p>.<p>In September, Australia signed the so-called Aukus trilateral security pact with the United States and Britain under which those two countries pledged to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines.</p>.<p>The deal upset China, which said that Aukus “seriously undermined regional peace and stability, intensified the arms race and undermined international non-proliferation efforts.”</p>.<p>In a statement on Wednesday, Morrison described the latest treaty with Japan as historic and said “it will, for the first time, provide a clear framework for enhanced interoperability and cooperation between our two forces."</p>.<p>“This treaty will be a statement of our two nations' commitment to work together in meeting the shared strategic security challenges we face and to contribute to a secure and stable Indo-Pacific," Morrison said.</p>.<p>The US and Australia, along with India and Japan, are also members of a strategic dialogue known as “the Quad," and Morrison said Wednesday that Australia would contribute “an expanding agenda” for that as well. </p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH videos:</strong></p>