Anthony Albanese spruiks ‘perfect friendship’ with Donald Trump ahead of APEC, G20 summits

Anthony Albanese will not hold formal meetings with Joe Biden at the APEC and G20 summits, and the Prime Minister pushed back against Coalition attacks by revealing parts of his conversation with Donald Trump.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, left, and US president-elect Donald Trump. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones, NewsWire / Getty Images

Anthony Albanese will not hold formal meetings with US President Joe Biden at the APEC and G20 summits, and the Prime Minister pushed back against Coalition attacks by revealing Donald Trump told him they would have a “perfect friendship”.

Amid speculation Australian products could be impacted by trade tariffs imposed under a Trump administration, Peter Dutton on Tuesday raised concerns about Mr Albanese’s ability to broker exemptions directly with the US president-elect if local exports are targeted.

Mr Albanese – who rejected Coalition suggestions he add a stop in Florida to see Mr Trump – will fly to Peru on Wednesday for APEC leaders meetings before heading to Rio de Janeiro next week for the G20 summit.

The Australian understands Mr Albanese and Mr Biden – who have met 11 times since the 2022 election – are not scheduled for any formal catch-ups after seeing each other at the recent Quad summit in Delaware. A bilateral meeting or pull-aside chat with Chinese President Xi Jinping – who will be lauded with state visits in Peru and Brazil amid global concerns of a looming US-China trade war – is yet to be locked in.

Mr Albanese’s final overseas trip before next year’s federal election, which coincides with the government falling behind in the polls on the back of a persistent cost-of-living crisis, will be dominated by the US election aftermath and discussions around China’s flat economy, global inflation and new measures to drive economic growth.

Ahead of visiting Mr Biden at the White House this week and the arrival of world leaders in South America, Mr Trump has been finalising key posts in his administration. China hawks Senator Marco Rubio and Mike Waltz are expected to be appointed secretary of state and national security adviser. Mr Trump has already announced Republican congresswoman Elise Stefanik as incoming US ambassador to the United Nations and immigration hardliner Tom Homan as his top border official.

Mr Albanese, who will travel to Peru and Brazil with fiancee Jodie Haydon, pushed back on Tuesday against Coalition attacks that Labor would struggle to forge close relationships with Mr Trump and his administration.

“We had a terrific discussion last week. Good beginning to our relationship. He described the relationship … that we would have a perfect friendship. And I’m very confident that the relationship between Australia and the United States will continue to be very strong,” Mr Albanese said.

Weaponising historic negative comments about Mr Trump made by Mr Albanese, ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd and Labor cabinet ministers, Mr Dutton said Labor must “course correct” its approach to the US-Australia relationship.

The Opposition Leader cited successful Coalition negotiations, led directly by former prime ministers Scott Morrison and Malcolm Turnbull during Mr Trump’s first term, to win tariff exemptions for Australian exports.

“Now the onus will be on the Prime Minister to negotiate a similar outcome with the Trump administration, and that will be a question for him as to whether or not they’re able to craft that,” Mr Dutton said.

“I think it’s obvious that America has charted a different course now, and the government here needs to course correct and make sure that they’re working with and not against our most important ally.”

Citing other leaders who have seen Mr Trump in recent months, opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said Mr Albanese should “go up to Florida” and catch up with the president-elect following the G20 summit.

In response, Mr Albanese said: “If you have a look at the map, it’s actually not on the way.”

On arrival in Peru, Mr Albanese will hold a bilateral meeting with new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto after missing his inauguration in Jakarta last month.

Mr Albanese, who will meet with a range of business chiefs, is expected to hold talks with other leaders during his travels including Peruvian President Dina Boluarte, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

At the APEC summit, Mr Albanese will promote more regional economic integration and “free and open trade” across the Asia-Pacific region. At G20 meetings in Brazil, the Labor leader will promote Australia as a major power in food security.

He will promote Labor’s Future Made in Australia policy at both summits.

“These two meetings come at an important time as we work through the global inflation challenge. We are working at home and with international partners to put downward pressure on inflation and help safeguard Australia’s economy against global challenges, as well as building the new economic links that will sustain a future made in Australia,” Mr Albanese said.

The G20 summit, which overlaps with the UN COP29 climate summit in Baku, will include a focus on climate change, with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva pushing for a global climate finance target to support developing nations.