Australia will not commit troops in advance to any conflict, minister saysbr br Australia will not commit troops in advance to any conflict, Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy said on Sunday, July 13, responding to a report that the Pentagon has pressed its ally to clarify what role it would play if the US and China went to war over Taiwan.br br Australia prioritizes its sovereignty and "we don't discuss hypotheticals," Conroy said in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.br br The Financial Times reported on Saturday, July 12, that Elbridge Colby, the US under-secretary of defense for policy, has been pushing Australian and Japanese defense officials on what they would do in a Taiwan conflict, although the US does not offer a blank check guarantee to defend Taiwan.br br Conroy added Australia was concerned about China's military buildup of nuclear and conventional forces, and wants a balanced Indo-Pacific region where no country dominates.