Foreign Minister Marise Payne has danced around discussing the deployment of US ground-based missiles in the north of Australia, saying only that the country "consistently welcomed (US) force and presence."
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This weekend's Australia-US ministerial consultations in Sydney come soon after the termination of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, an arms control agreement between the US and Russia that has stood since 1988.
Both countries have blamed each other for violating the treaty, which restricted the development of ground-based arms with a range from 500km to 5500km.
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper has since told reporters he'd like to see ground-based arms stationed in Asia as a military deterrent amid what he perceives as "an era of great power competition".
When asked about the prospect of US ground-based, non-nuclear missiles stationed in the north of Australia, Senator Payne and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds kept their cards close to their chests.
Should the US develop weapons with a range of 5500km, southern China would be comfortably within range of a missile stationed in Darwin.
However Senator Payne was also at pains to tout China as a regional partner.
"The presence of the US and its military forces has been a force for stability for decades, and Australia has consistently welcomed that force and presence," Senator Payne told reporters at AUSMIN on Sunday.
"I would always be expecting the Secretary of Defense to be considering the posture of the US forces, that's the job.
"In regards to our regional engagement, let me also ensure and remind that for China and Australia, we see China as a vitally important partner.
"It's in no one's interests for the Indo-Pacific to become more competitive, adversarial in character. We work closely with our key partners, our strongest alliance, the US, and our key partner, China."
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the deployment of any missiles would only be carried out with the full consent of the host state.
But he declined to confirm he'd asked Australia to accept a deployment.
The cessation of the INF enables the US to expand its arsenal amid increasing Sino-US strategic tension, particularly in relation to China's Belt and Road Initiative for infrastructure and South China Sea militarisation efforts.
US President Donald Trump last week also announced an escalation of the countries' prolonged trade war, including 10 per cent tariffs worth $US300 billion ($A441 billion) on Chinese imports.
Dr Esper labelled the Indo-Pacific the US' "priority theatre" and said the country would look to strengthen its regional security efforts.
"The US will not stand by idly while any one nation attempts to reshape the region to its favour at the expense of others, and we know our allies and partners won't either," Dr Esper said.
Australian Associated Press
