Anthony Albanese and Joe Biden discuss security ahead of US meeting with China’s Xi Jinping
US President Joe Biden has sought out Australia’s expertise on the Indo-Pacific and regional security ahead of his meeting with China’s Xi Jinping, in a major diplomatic coup for Anthony Albanese.
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United States President Joe Biden has sought out Australia’s expertise on the Indo-Pacific and regional security ahead of his meeting with China’s Xi Jinping, in a major diplomatic coup for Anthony Albanese.
The Prime Minister met with Mr Biden for almost 40 minutes on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Cambodia on Sunday where the pair discussed a range of issues, including the AUKUS deal, security in the Indo-Pacific, Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, climate change and the economy.
The bilateral took place just one day before Mr Biden is due to meet with Mr Xi at the G20 in Indonesia, with the US leader previously confirming he would consult with allies in the region before the talks.
Further fuelling speculation Mr Albanese will soon secure his own face-to-face meeting with Mr Xi, the Prime Minister spoke with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at a gala for the ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh on Saturday night.
White House officials said Mr Biden and Mr Albanese agreed “peace and stability” across the Taiwan Strait was an “imperative” during the lengthy formal meeting.
“Recognising that current regional and global challenges require close and strong security cooperation, the two leaders discussed US-Australia alliance priorities and the AUKUS security partnership with the United Kingdom,” a White House statement said.
“President Biden thanked the Prime Minister for standing with the United States and the world to impose costs on Russia for its unprovoked war on Ukraine.”
Mr Biden told Mr Albanese he “looked forward” to a “very successful” Quad Leaders’ Summit in Australia in 2023.
Mr Albanese confirmed he had invited Mr Biden to address a joint sitting of parliament in Canberra next year when Australia will host the annual Quad leaders meeting.
Describing the meeting with Mr Biden as a “really warm engagement,” Mr Albanese said Australia’s improved standing in the Indo-Pacific as a result of increased engagement with regional leaders was a major asset.
“The United States and President Biden in particular I think welcomes Australia’s position in the region,” he said.
“I think Australia’s standing in the region has risen and that is a benefit for all those who have respect for Australia’s position, and the United States is one.”
Mr Albanese said he and Mr Biden talked about the importance of the AUKUS agreement ahead of an expected decision from Australia on which type of nuclear-powered submarines it will pursue.
Also at the East Asia Summit, Mr Albanese said he did not waste the opportunity to express Australia’s condemnation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the presence of Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.
“I didn’t miss it,” he said.
“I pointed out that Russia’s actions were causing enormous human toll, and that it was an illegal invasion.”
On Saturday Mr Albanese and China’s Premier, Mr Li, “exchanged greetings” and discussed the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between their countries for about four minutes through an interpreter.
It was the highest level interaction between Australia and China in three years, while there has not been a formal bilateral with leaders of the two countries since 2016.
Mr Albanese has said he sees any dialogue with China as positive, and described his brief conversation with Mr Li as “positive”.
“He reminded me that he has written to me congratulating me on my election, and I had responded to him,” Mr Albanese said.
Asked if the conversation had made him feel a meeting with Mr Xi was more likely, Mr Albanese simply repeated he saw the conversation as a “very positive engagement”.
Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull was the last Australian leader to hold formal talks with Mr Xi more than six years ago.
Mr Biden told US reporters on Sunday he always had “straight forward discussions” with Mr Xi.
Mr Albanese will travel to Bali on Monday where he will deliver keynote speech to global business leaders ahead of the G20 summit.
Australian mining billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest is also in Indonesia for the B20, where he will announce his Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) will support Indonesian steel giant Gunung Raja Paksi on a path to decarbonise.
Mr Forrest said he would welcome any thawing of relations between Australia and its biggest trading partner China, adding back-channel diplomacy was “effective” when it came to Beijing.
“There’s no reason for the animosity to continue between Australia and China,” he said.
“We will hold China to account for all the things we don’t agree with, but we don’t have to do that through megaphones.”
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