Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to argue that Indo-Pacific nations must shape their own future rather than be treated as pieces in a contest between the United States and China.
Draft extracts reported ahead of a major foreign-policy speech in New York describe strategic competition between Washington and Beijing as one of the region's defining forces, while stressing that it cannot be the only lens through which the Indo-Pacific is viewed.
Albanese is expected to say the post-1945 global order is no longer fully equipped for today's challenges and that Australia should help shape what comes next. The speech is also set to emphasise rules that protect sovereignty, freedom of navigation and access to trade.
The address comes as Australia campaigns for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for 2029-30 and seeks to balance its economic relationship with China, its security alliance with the United States and its partnerships with Pacific and Asian neighbours.
Because the published extracts preceded delivery, final wording and emphasis may differ from the prepared remarks.
Sources: ABC News preview of the speech; Prime Minister of Australia — UN visit press conference.
Image disclosure: The featured image is an AI-generated symbolic editorial illustration. It is not a photograph of the speech and does not depict identifiable political leaders.