Secretary of State Rubio, UK Official Talk AUKUS, China

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke this week with U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy to discuss the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) arrangement, China’s “malign influence,” Russia’s war against Ukraine and a “range of pressing global issues,” a State Department spokesperson said Jan. 27. The spokesperson said they both “heralded joint initiatives, including the AUKUS partnership, which promotes a free and open Indo-Pacific that is secure and stable.” AUKUS, a deal stood up by the Biden administration, allows the three countries to benefit from reduced export licensing restrictions for certain defense and dual-use exports (see 2412040044, 2408160019 and 2410010030).