Joe Biden and top US brass put on a show for Anthony Albanese before his trip to Beijing
Joe Biden assembled his top lieutenants for Anthony Albanese’s arrival in a show of force just over a week out from the Prime Minister flying into Beijing for meetings with Xi Jinping.
Anthony Albanese’s White House reception, resplendent with hundreds of Australian flags, a full military parade and 19-gun salute, was a timely reminder from Joe Biden about an enduring alliance steeped in history and blood spilt on battlefields for more than a century.
Almost 400 guests waved flags as they gathered behind barriers on an unseasonably warm autumn day in Washington to watch the Prime Minister receive the full red carpet treatment and pomp and ceremony that only three other world leaders have been afforded by the US President.
Biden assembled his top lieutenants for Albanese’s arrival in a show of force just over a week out from the latter flying into Beijing for meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, who are locked in a high-stakes battle for strategic supremacy with the US that Biden intends to win.
Vice-President Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Cabinet Secretary Evan Ryan (who is also Blinken’s wife), national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Biden’s climate envoy and former presidential candidate John Kerry, US ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy and National Security Council Indo-Pacific co-ordinator Kurt Campbell sat in the VIP seats near the stage where Biden and Albanese delivered their opening remarks.
Waiting in the cabinet room nearby to speak with Albanese were other senior officials, including Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and senior East Asia and Oceania security advisers Luke Collin and Mira Rapp-Hooper.
Albanese’s side included Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet secretary Glyn Davis, chief of staff Tim Gartrell, ambassador Kevin Rudd, international principal adviser Kathy Klugman, deputy chief of mission Paul Myler, Resources Minister Madeleine King, ACTU president Michele O’Neil and Indigenous leader and University of Canberra chancellor Tom Calma.
Biden and his wife Jill, who hosted Albanese and partner Jodie Haydon for a private, intimate dinner the night before, delivered the crescendo on Wednesday night local time with a lavish state dinner in the South Lawn Pavilion.
The “kid from Camperdown”, who grew up in public housing supported by his single mother, had come a long way.
Putting aside the back slaps and warm handshakes, China loomed large over the state visit. After they walked through the famous White House Colonnade to the West Wing, Biden ushered Albanese into the Oval Office before inviting a throng of US and Australian media.
In the room where some of the world’s biggest and most important decisions have been made, Albanese spoke effusively of climate change action and preventing natural disasters. Biden was fixated on Xi and China.
Shortly before reporters left the room, Biden suddenly recounted a chat he had with the Chinese president. No world leader has had more conversations with Xi than Biden.
“Well, I was asked by Xi Jinping a couple of years ago why I was working so hard with your country. And I said ‘Because we’re a Pacific nation’. He looked at me, and I said ‘Yeah, we’re a Pacific nation – the US’. We are, and we’re going to stay that way,” Biden said.
After the pair finished their bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, Albanese was taken to the Cabinet Room, metres from Biden’s office.
The one-on-one meeting and discussion with cabinet secretaries ran overtime by more than an hour.
When the men finally emerged and walked over to the White House Rose Garden for a press conference, Biden – who is managing fallouts from the Middle East conflict, the ongoing Ukraine war and unprecedented geostrategic competition with China – was sharp and confident.
The announcements he made with Albanese were heavily focused on the Indo-Pacific region and thwarting Chinese foreign interference, tech and critical minerals dominance. As Albanese balances improved Chinese relations with concerns among US security figures about dealing with Beijing, Biden made clear that the Indo-Pacific was his No. 1 priority.
“The alliance between Australia and the US is an anchor – and I believe this with every fibre of my being – an anchor to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and, quite frankly, around the world,” he said.
He also sent a warning to China over its maritime claims and dangerous encounters with Filipino vessels: “I want to be clear – I want to be very clear: the US defence commitment to The Philippines is iron-clad. The US defence agreement to The Philippines is iron-clad. Any attack on the Filipino aircraft, vessels, or armed forces will invoke our Mutual Defence Treaty with The Philippines.”
Despite some domestic pressure to withdraw his strong support for Tel Aviv, Biden reiterated his backing for Israel to destroy Hamas. He also explained how he was working with regional leaders to protect innocent civilians, while scalding extremist Israeli settlers for “pouring gasoline on the fire”.
His words in support of Israel were emphatic and clear. “Israel has the right and, I would add, responsibility to respond to the slaughter of their people. And we will ensure Israel has what it needs to defend itself against these terrorists. That’s a guarantee.”
Albanese, who will visit Beijing and Shanghai on November 4-7, is being closely watched by senior figures in the US system.
While there are those who criticise the Prime Minister’s travel schedule, in times like these it has never been more important to develop face-to-face relationships.
The challenge is keeping everyone happy at a time when the US and China have never been further apart.
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