Australian PM Leaves For US, Reportedly Will Meet Trump

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese / PHOTO via Instagram @albomp

JAKARTA - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese left for the United States this weekend, raising expectations of a first meeting with President Donald Trump, where defense partnerships AUKUS and China are likely to dominate talks between the two security allies.

According to his office, Albanese will depart on Saturday, September 20, to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UN) in New York, where the prime minister said he would attend a reception hosted by Trump on Tuesday next week.

The bilateral meeting has not been announced. But Australian media reported the meeting "likely" happened, although Trump said on Tuesday Albanese would come to visit to meet him "soon".

The executive director of the Lowy Institute research institute, Michael Fullilove, said Australia's relationship with its main security partners was "currently quite tenuous", as in the 10 months since Trump was elected, Albanese has never met him, and there has been no US ambassador to Australia.

"Albanese's main priority when meeting with President Trump was to strengthen relations," he said.

Former Australian ambassador to Washington, Arthur Sinodinos, said King Charles had provided very strong support to AUKUS during Trump's visit to the UK, and it was important for Albanese to gain direct principles support from the president regarding the nuclear-powered submarine deal, to encourage investment.

In his dinner address, King Charles said AUKUS was a " vital collaboration" between Britain, the US and Australia.

Designed to counter China's rapid naval power increase in the Indo-Pacific, AUKUS is being reviewed by the Pentagon.

"The question is what new requirements are attached to AUKUS," said Sinodinos, chairman of the United States Center for Studies.

At the UN General Assembly, Albanese will support the Palestinian statehood, and speak at a meeting discussing Australian laws that prohibit social media for children under the age of 16.

These two positions are against Washington, with Trump generally critical of foreign law which he says is unfair to US technology companies.

The meeting point includes views on Western countries need to break China's dominance of important mineral supplies, Sinodinos said.

More than 20 important Australian mineral companies met with Trump Administration officials this week to explore collaboration areas.

In terms of trade, Australia will urge Trump to comply with a free trade agreement in which the surplus benefits Washington, according to officials.

They note that the 10% base rate imposed on Australia is the best deal any country has ever reached.

Under Washington's pressure to increase the defense budget, Australia on Saturday announced an additional A$12 billion ($8 billion) to improve shipyards in Western Australia for maintenance of AUKUS submarines.

Australia's strategic relations in the Pacific Islands militarily are of major interest to the US, Australian and US officials said.