Albanese’s warns China will face resistance if follows Russia’s warpath

Anthony Albanese has used a major security summit in Spain to warn of the threats to global stability in the Indo Pacific and reaffirm Australia’s commitment to help Ukraine.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with powerful world leaders, Anthony Albanese has used a major security summit in Spain to warn of the threats to global stability in the Indo Pacific and reaffirm Australia’s commitment to help Ukraine.
Mr Albanese joined more than 30 leaders, including US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, at a gala hosted by the King and Queen of Spain on Tuesday night to mark the official start of the NATO Summit in Madrid.
Mr Johnson and Mr Albanese will take part in a one-on-one meeting on the sidelines of the Summit on Wednesday.
Mr Albanese is also expected to meet with the leaders of Germany, Italy and the European Commission, as well as New Zealand, Japan and South Korea – who alongside Australia make up the group known as the “Asia Pacific Four”.
Though the “AP4” countries are not members of NATO, their invitation to the Summit is seen as a recognition of the dual threats to global order and democracies posed by an increasingly belligerent China, as well as an openly hostile Russia.

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotaki. Picture: Bertrand Guay

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Picture: Supplied

In his opening remarks at the Summit on Wednesday, Mr Albanese will tell world leaders Australia was committed to working with like-minded democracies in fighting for the “core values” of fairness, and the sovereignty of all states, “big and small”.

Let Russia be a warning: Albo’s message to China

It comes as Mr Albanese warned if Beijing tries to impose its will “by force” it would face a unified resistance from the same countries standing against Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

As he arrived in Spain for the NATO Summit in Madrid, the Prime Minister revealed he hopes to use the trip to repair Australia’s relationship with France, progress a free trade deal with the European Union and work with world leaders to stand against autocratic regimes who break international law.

In an exclusive interview with News Corp after his first month as Australia’s leader, Mr Albanese said the war in Ukraine was an issue of “enormous global significance”.

“If a sovereign country can be brutally invaded, against all of the international rules of law, then it has real implications for global peace and security,” he said.

Mr Albanese said he regarded the war as a “strategic failure for Russia,” as President Vladimir Putin had underestimated not just the Ukrainian resistance, but also how the invasion would bring together nations in opposition to his regime.

PM Anthony Albanese has landed in Madrid, Spain. He’ll join the leaders of Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand in representing the Asia-Pacific region at a NATO Summit. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

“The democratic world has never been more united in standing up against authoritarianism,” he said.

Asked about what message Chinese Communist Party should take from the NATO Summit, Mr Albanese suggested there were lessons Beijing could learn from Russia’s mistakes.

“There are real implications behind a non-democratic regime seeking to impose its will by force,” he said.

“Part of what is occurring in the response of the world to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, is sending a message that such a behaviour and breaches of international law will be resisted.

“And will be resisted by democratic countries across the globe … and I think there are implications there for any country consider actions which disrupt good world order.”

Australia has been invited to the Summit as part of the “Asia Pacific Four,” which also includes New Zealand, South Korea and Japan.

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez (R) welcomes Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to a pre-NATO meeting. Picture: Gabriel Bouys / AFP

Mr Albanese said Australia was “not immune” from the flow on effects of the war in Ukraine, pointing to soaring petrol prices and supply chain issues.

“Globalisation has meant that we’re all interconnected, so Australia has a responsibility to engage in international affairs because we will be impacted,” he said.

The Prime Minister said Australians should be “very proud” the nation “does punch above our weight internationally”.

“We’re the largest non-NATO contributor to the effort in Ukraine for example,” he said.

Mr Albanese has been invited to visit Kyiv by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but is awaiting security advice on the matter.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has extended an invitation for Mr Albanese to visit war-torn Kyiv. Picture: Handout / Ukraine Presidency / AFP

On the sidelines of the NATO Summit he will meet with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and many other key allies.

Asked what he would consider a “successful” trip, Mr Albanese had a list of goals he hoped to achieve.

“That we’ve enhanced our relationship with our partners, that Australia is more respected as a result of the visit, that the potential for finalising an EU trade deal is more likely, and that we’ve also engaged with businesses in Australia’s national interest,” he said.

Reflecting on his first month in office, Mr Albanese said he had forged a “very warm relationship” with US President Joe Biden, and was looking forward to seeing him again at NATO.

Overnight Mr Albanese took part in a one-on-one meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez – the first time in history an Australian Prime Minister has attended such a bilateral in Spain.

Mr Albanese said it was a “warm and productive” meeting that touched on a wide range of issues, including the invasion of Ukraine, global response to Russia and the impact on oil and gas prices in the fallout from the war.

Mr Sanchez and Mr Albanese discussed the Russia-Ukraine conflict and free trade with the EU. Picture: Gabriel Bouys / AFP

“Russia’s invasion is having an impact on global inflation, it’s having an impact on global economies and it’s placing pressure on individuals regardless of how far away they are from the direct conflict,” Mr Albanese said.

The two leaders also spoke about reviving an Australia-European Union free trade deal, which had stalled in recent years, with Spain proposing to send a high-level delegation to Australia to progress talks.

The long-negotiated free trade agreement with the EU was a top concern for Mr Albanese heading into the meeting.

“(Mr) Sanchez, he particularly, he has been supportive of the potential EU trade deal, and that is very important for us,” he said.

Later this week Mr Albanese will travel to Paris, where he will seek to repair Australia’s relationship with France, damaged in the fallout of the decision to dump a $90 billion submarine contract.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s now infamous declaration he did not “think” but “know” former prime minister Scott Morrison lied to him in his handling of the issue, was a severe low point in the relationship.

Leaked texts between the two leaders showing Mr Macron was aware Australia was likely to ditch the French subs only further soured the relationship.

Asked how he would have handled the complex issue differently, Mr Albanese said he would have prioritised “diplomacy and integrity”.

“Australia’s national interests are not protected by the leaking of text messages between leaders,” he said.

“I’ll engage with leaders in the way that I engage as well in domestic politics … you nee to have respect between people and relationships, and clear that relationship was completely broken down.”

U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the first day of the three-day G7 summit in Germany. Mr Albanese will meet with Mr Johnson while in Madrid for a NATO Summit. Picture: Stefan Rousseau – Pool/Getty Images

Mr Albanese said the French relationship was “about more than just submarines”.

“France plays an important role (in Australia), including in Defence, in transport, information technology and in advanced manufacturing,” he said.

Mr Albanese said going forward his government would seek to ensure deals for huge procurement projects, like the submarine capability, would “produce maximum benefit for Australian jobs and skills”.

“There’s always a role, there has been historically, in foreign investment in Australia,” he said.

“Done in the right way what that can do is enhance our skills and capacity in Australia, including in manufacturing.”

Originally published as Albanese’s warns China will face resistance if follows Russia’s warpath