Top diplomats from Australia and Germany have hinted at progress on a long-stalled free trade agreement with Europe while agreeing to closer co-operation on critical minerals, energy, cyber security and climate change.
During talks in Canberra, the foreign ministers for both countries agreed to work more closely together to bolster critical minerals supply chains, which are currently dominated by China.
Germany is a major user of rare earths like lithium which are used in car manufacturing, defence technologies and renewable energy - elements which Australia has in spades.
"The central issue of the talks here is a closer and important co-operation in the field of critical raw materials, such as rare earths. And that is a question of economic security," German foreign minister Johann Wadephul told reporters in Canberra.
"We must diversify our supply chains, and we must cooperate as closely as possible," he said.
