PM optimistic Trump and Xi will reduce trade tensions
Zac de Silva and Grace Crivellaro |
Anthony Albanese is optimistic about talks between the US and Chinese presidents during which Donald Trump is expected to reduce punishing tariffs.
Speaking to reporters at the APEC summit in South Korea, the prime minister said he hoped trade tensions would ease between the two nations.
“We want to see a positive outcome,” Mr Albanese said on Thursday.
“The United States and China have an important role as the two major economic powers that exist in our region.
“These are important relationships for Australia.”
It followed an exclusive ceremonial dinner on Wednesday night at which Mr Trump heaped praise on Mr Albanese, talking up co-operation between the US and Australia on the critical minerals agreement.
“You’ve done a fantastic job … we’re working together on rare earths, but we’re working on a lot of things together and it’s working out very well,” Mr Trump said.
Eight leaders including the prime ministers of New Zealand, Canada, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam attended the dinner in the tourist town of Gyeongju.
The talks between Mr Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping follow months of friction over tariffs and security.
The meeting will run for three or four hours and Mr Trump has suggested he is close to a deal with China which would see the US ease some of its heavy-handed tariffs.
Mr Albanese declined to support Mr Trump’s declaration that tariffs were good for US alliances, saying Australia believed free and fair trade was good for the world.
“We believe that the more open that trade occurs, the better it is for the global economy, the better it is for Australia,” he said.
Asked whether he would attend the COP30 leaders summit in Brazil in November, Mr Albanese said Australia would be represented there and he would instead attend parliament for the second week of the sitting fortnight.
“I’m sometimes amused by the contradictory messages from Australian media saying I should do more international travel,” he said.
“But when I do, they say I should do less.”
Australia is bidding to host the 2026 COP alongside Pacific nations, but Turkey has launched a rival bid for the summit.
If an impasse on hosting is not resolved by the end of this year’s COP, the rights will revert to the German city of Bonn.
Mr Albanese has met Mr Trump twice in 10 days after waiting a lengthy period for a formal bilateral meeting with the US president.
They met in Washington last week and struck a multibillion-dollar deal to give the US greater access to Australia’s critical mineral reserves.
AAP
