US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivers keynote speech in Melbourne

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has delivered a keynote speech in Melbourne just moments ago after arriving in Australia on Wednesday

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered a keynote speech at the University of Melbourne on Thursday, ahead of his planned Quad meeting with foreign ministers.

Mr Blinken spoke of the challenges brought on by the pandemic, getting vaccines into Asia and the current relationship between Australia and the United States.

He highlighting the closeness in values between the two nations.

Mr Blinken said it was imperative for Australia and the United States to work together to tackle challenges such as climate change and the COVID pandemic.

He sat down with students at the university, telling them Australia had showed it was capable of the best of humanity.

Mr Blinken is in Melbourne for the Quad meeting of foreign ministers which will take place on Friday, where he will meet with counterparts from India, Japan and Australia.

He does head out of the country over the weekend and will fly over to Fiji for another meeting with officials there.

Blinken plans to reassure Pacific island leaders that Washington and its allies are committed to providing security and COVID-19 vaccines, as China steps up its aid and influence in the region.