Anthony Albanese confirms US trip for Quad summit next week

Anthony Albanese will travel to Joe Biden’s hometown next week for an important summit that has raised the ire of the Chinese government.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will jet to the US next week for a key summit that aims to bolster international efforts to counter China’s increasing aggression in the Indo-Pacific.

The Quad leaders’ meeting will be hosted by US President Joe Biden in his hometown, and will also feature Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.

It will mark the first time Mr Biden has welcomed foreign leaders to Wilmington, Delaware, which his press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said reflected “his deep personal relationships with each of the Quad leaders, and the importance of the Quad to all of our countries”.

The trip will be Mr Albanese’s fourth visit to the US since he came to power, with the summit to be held on September 21.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, US President Joe Biden, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at a Quad meeting in 2022. Picture: Saul Loeb (AFP)

“I look forward to meeting with my Quad partners to discuss important challenges facing the Indo-Pacific and strengthening the Quad’s co-operation,” he said in a statement.

“Australia is deeply invested in the future prosperity and stability of the Indo-Pacific. Australia, the United States, India, and Japan share a vision for a region that is governed by accepted rules and norms, where all countries can co-operate, trade and thrive.”

“We will work together to shape the kind of region in which we want to live. We are always better off when we act together with our close friends and partners.”

But Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian recently accused the Quad of “scaremongering, inciting antagonism and confrontation, and holding back other countries’ development”.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a Quad meeting in 2022. Picture: Yuichi Yamazaki (AFP)

Ms Jean-Pierre said the fourth in-person meeting of the Quad leaders would cover a sweeping range of issues including health security, natural disaster response, maritime security, high-quality infrastructure, critical and emerging technology, climate and clean energy, and cybersecurity.

“The Quad leaders summit will focus on bolstering the strategic convergence among our countries, advancing our shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and delivering concrete benefits for partners in the Indo-Pacific,” she said.

Mr Albanese’s travel has been under fierce scrutiny from the opposition, with criticism of his regular trips intensifying late last year when he attended the APEC summit in San Francisco.

The Prime Minister has cut back his schedule overseas this year, only to be put under pressure in July for skipping the NATO summit in Washington DC.

India is due to stage the next Quad summit, although it will take place without Mr Biden and Mr Kishida, who are both stepping down within months. Mr Albanese’s leadership will also be on the line in an election expected by May next year.

Australia planned to host the leaders last year until Mr Biden scrapped his trip at the last minute amid intense negotiations in Washington DC to raise the country’s debt limit and prevent economic chaos.

Originally published as Anthony Albanese confirms US trip for Quad summit next week