Canada and Australia害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所� relationships, along with their collective ability to respond to everything from global challenges to malicious cyber threats.

害羞草研究所淐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,害羞草研究所� Blair told a news conference Thursday. 害羞草研究所淐hina is pursuing the most ambitious military buildup of any nation since the Second World War, and it害羞草研究所檚 looking to reshape the international system to advance its own interest.害羞草研究所�

Marles, who害羞草研究所檚 also Australia害羞草研究所檚 deputy prime minister, was in Vancouver for the bilateral meeting with Blair.

In a joint statement after the meeting, the countries condemned Russia害羞草研究所檚 invasion of Ukraine, China害羞草研究所檚 actions in the South China Sea, North Korea害羞草研究所檚 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.

害羞草研究所淥ur sovereignty in the Canadian arctic is being challenged by a number of potential adversaries, Russia and China in particular, but not exclusively,害羞草研究所� Blair said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 very similar to what we害羞草研究所檙e seeing in the Indo-Pacific.害羞草研究所�

Blair said the closely allied nations are 害羞草研究所減reparing to avoid war,害羞草研究所� showing unity in the face of adversaries whose actions go against 害羞草研究所済lobal interests of maintaining a peaceful environment.害羞草研究所�

Marles said Canada and Australia害羞草研究所檚 co-operation is seeking to deter hostile actors, and avoiding conflict is 害羞草研究所渇ront and centre害羞草研究所� as both nations seek to understand and respond to threats in the Indo-Pacific and elsewhere.

He said the 害羞草研究所済lobal rules based order is more under pressure now than any point since the end of the Second World War.害羞草研究所�

Marles said Russia害羞草研究所檚 alliance with China on the eve of the invasion of Ukraine was a wake-up call about the interconnectedness of global theatres of conflict.

害羞草研究所淪uddenly, a conflict in eastern Europe became deeply relevant to us in the Indo-Pacific,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e live in a world where there is fragility and where the Indo-Pacific is highly relevant.害羞草研究所�

Marles said both Canada and Australia have worked to 害羞草研究所渦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.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淏oth of us have come to the conclusion that the Indo-Pacific matters.害羞草研究所�

Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press