Albanese plans foreign trips as world leaders laud his election win
Australia’s closest allies and partners have congratulated the Prime Minister on his sweeping election victory.
Anthony Albanese is planning early trips to the US and Indonesia and is expected to attend the ASEAN summit in Malaysia within weeks to strengthen Australia’s ties with Southeast Asia as Donald Trump turns his back on the region.
A trip to Canada for the G7 summit in June is also on the cards for the re-elected Prime Minister, as well as a visit to Papua New Guinea in September to celebrate the country’s 50th anniversary of independence with counterpart James Marape.
Australia’s closest allies and partners rushed to congratulate Mr Albanese on his sweeping election victory, with newly-sworn Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney alluding to the Trump-induced chaos that handed an electoral boost to both leaders.
“In an increasingly divided world, Canada and Australia are close partners and the most reliable of friends,” Mr Carney said.
“We have the opportunity to build on that relationship and our shared values to the benefit of both our nations, and I look forward to it.”
Mr Carney will host G7 leaders from June 15-17. Australia is not a G7 member but is a close partner of the grouping of advanced economies and Mr Albanese is likely to score an invite to the summit.
President Trump was yet to comment on Mr Albanese’s election win, but US Secretary of State Marco Rubio commended the Prime Minister on the result.
“Congratulations to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on his victory in Australia’s federal election. Australia is a valued US friend and a close partner,” he said on X.
“We look forward to continuing to promote freedom and security in the Indo-Pacific and around the world.”
Mr Albanese, who has had only two phone calls with Mr Trump and is yet to meet him face-to-face, intends to visit Washington DC early in his second term to establish a working relationship, seek tariff exemptions and bed down the AUKUS partnership.
But he sidestepped a question on when he would head to Washington, telling reporters on Sunday: “My job’s here to represent Australia’s national interest and that’s what I’ll be doing.”
Senior government sources said a visit to Indonesia would be a priority given the importance of the bilateral relationship and Russia’s push to operate long-range aircraft from the country.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s government swiftly shut down the Russian request when it emerged during the election campaign, in a welcome move for Mr Albanese.
Mr Prabowo offered Mr Albanese his “heartfelt congratulations” on the prime Minister’s re-election, saying his renewed mandate “reflects the trust and confidence of the Australian people in his vision for the country’s future”.
“I look forward to continuing and strengthening our partnership with Australia under Prime Minister Albanese’s leadership,” the Indonesian President said.
“We will work together to address shared challenges and pursue mutual goals in the region and beyond.”
Mr Albanese is yet to commit to attending the May 26-27 ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, or the East Asia summit scheduled in early June, but attended both dialogues throughout his first term and is expected to do so this year.
Australian Institute for International Affairs chief executive Bryce Wakefield said as the US slapped tariffs on the rest of the world, Australia needed to work even more closely with Southeast Asia to create new economic opportunities.
“Southeast Asia has a really highly complimentary economy to ours, and we just don’t benefit from it at all,” Dr Wakefield said.
“They’re going to have an increasing number of consumers, a large labour force, and we’ve got material inputs.
“So that is exactly what he should be doing, in addition to cultivating a relationship with Trump and making sure it works on an even keel.”
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon hailed his trans-Tasman counterpart, declaring: “New Zealand has no better friend and no greater ally than Australia. I look forward to continuing our work together,” he said on X.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he looked forward to an even closer relationship between Australia and the UK under a re-elected Albanese government.
“Congratulations to Anthony Albanese on your election win. The UK and Australia are as close as ever – which goes to show that long-distance friendships can be the strongest,” Sir Keir said.
“I know that we will continue to work together on our shared ambitions, including on trade, investment and energy, working towards a better life for working people in the UK and Australia.”
“Our collaboration on defence, especially the AUKUS program will continue to grow, and as fellow steadfast supporters of Ukraine, we will continue to stand together against Putin’s illegal war for as long as it takes.”
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape rang Mr Albanese soon after 9pm on Saturday night to congratulate him in the first such phone call from a foreign leader.
He said Mr Albanese had agreed to attend PNG’s September 16 independence celebrations.
Mr Marape said it had been Labor and PNG’s Pangu Party that worked together to secure his country’s independence 50 years ago and “it will be Labor and Pangu in 2025”.
Mr Albanese said: “(Mr Marape) called me at about a quarter to eight, I think. He was first. He’s a good friend, of course, and a great friend of Australia.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed Mr Albanese’s “resounding victory”.
“This emphatic mandate indicates the enduring faith of the Australian people in your leadership. I look forward to working together to further deepen the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and advance our shared vision for peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.”
Japan’s Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru also sent a congratulatory message, Japan’s Foreign Ministry said.
“In the message, Prime Minister Ishiba also stated that Japan and Australia are ‘Special Strategic Partners’ sharing fundamental values and strategic interests and expressed his intention to continue working closely with Australia to achieve a ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’,” it said.
French President Emmanuel Macron posted a message on X to “dear Prime Minister @AlboMP”, congratulating him on his victory.
“In the face of global challenges, Australia and France have so much to achieve together — especially in the Indo-Pacific. Let us continue to write, with ambition and friendship, the new chapter of our partnership,” Mr Macron said.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, who Mr Albanese visited in Kyiv early in his first term, said Mr Albanese had a “confident electoral victory”.
“Ukraine sincerely values Australia’s unwavering support and its principled stance on ending Russia’s war and securing a dignified and lasting peace,” he said.
“We look forward to further strengthening our productive partnership in pursuit of peace, security, and freedom.”
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