ABSTRACT
Major shifts have occurred in the security architecture of the Asia-Pacific since the end of the Cold War and the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks. One of the most striking developments has been the deepening and broadening of trilateral security connections between the United States, Japan and Australia: a development which points towards the formation of a nascent triple alliance bloc. The momentum behind this Trilateral Strategic Dialogue (TSD) has been apparent for several years, as the three powers have worked to strengthen and expand their existing bilateral ties. The elevation of its deliberations to ministerial level in 2006 has taken this evolving security forum to the next stage.
