Canada and Australia香蕉视频直播檚 defence ministers say their countries are dealing with similar challenges in an era of global volatility not seen since the Second World War, and strengthening co-operation is essential to avoiding conflict.

Defence Minister Bill Blair and his Australian counterpart Richard Marles announced an agreement Thursday to bolster their countries香蕉视频直播� relationships, along with their collective ability to respond to everything from global challenges to malicious cyber threats.

香蕉视频直播淐anada and Australia are both Pacific nations, and the security of the Indo-Pacific is crucial for the security of both our nations and today, that security is being challenged in a number of significant and difficult ways,香蕉视频直播� Blair told a news conference Thursday. 香蕉视频直播淐hina is pursuing the most ambitious military buildup of any nation since the Second World War, and it香蕉视频直播檚 looking to reshape the international system to advance its own interest.香蕉视频直播�

Marles, who香蕉视频直播檚 also Australia香蕉视频直播檚 deputy prime minister, was in Vancouver for the bilateral meeting with Blair.

In a joint statement after the meeting, the countries condemned Russia香蕉视频直播檚 invasion of Ukraine, China香蕉视频直播檚 actions in the South China Sea, North Korea香蕉视频直播檚 ballistic missile testing, and reaffirmed a call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The ministers committed their armed forces to work together as hostile actions from China and Russia continue to test the global order.

香蕉视频直播淥ur sovereignty in the Canadian arctic is being challenged by a number of potential adversaries, Russia and China in particular, but not exclusively,香蕉视频直播� Blair said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 very similar to what we香蕉视频直播檙e seeing in the Indo-Pacific.香蕉视频直播�

Blair said the closely allied nations are 香蕉视频直播減reparing to avoid war,香蕉视频直播� showing unity in the face of adversaries whose actions go against 香蕉视频直播済lobal interests of maintaining a peaceful environment.香蕉视频直播�

Marles said Canada and Australia香蕉视频直播檚 co-operation is seeking to deter hostile actors, and avoiding conflict is 香蕉视频直播渇ront and centre香蕉视频直播� as both nations seek to understand and respond to threats in the Indo-Pacific and elsewhere.

He said the 香蕉视频直播済lobal rules based order is more under pressure now than any point since the end of the Second World War.香蕉视频直播�

Marles said Russia香蕉视频直播檚 alliance with China on the eve of the invasion of Ukraine was a wake-up call about the interconnectedness of global theatres of conflict.

香蕉视频直播淪uddenly, a conflict in eastern Europe became deeply relevant to us in the Indo-Pacific,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淲e live in a world where there is fragility and where the Indo-Pacific is highly relevant.香蕉视频直播�

Marles said both Canada and Australia have worked to 香蕉视频直播渦nderstand the strategic challenges that we face, and therefore what kind of a defence force we need to build in order to meet those challenges.香蕉视频直播�

香蕉视频直播淏oth of us have come to the conclusion that the Indo-Pacific matters.香蕉视频直播�

Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press