Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stresses ‘people-to-people relations' in China despite ongoing delay in meeting with President Trump

Sky News AU

3 days ago

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has stressed the importance of 'people-to-people' relationships during his first day of an almost week-long trip to China despite having not yet met with US President Donald Trump.
Mr Albanese arrived in China late on Saturday evening, beginning a six-day-long trip that will include a meeting with China's President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.
During his first press conference after meeting with Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining, Mr Albanese said 'people-to-people relations' were 'very important' in pursuing economic opportunities.
' People-to-people relations are also of course very important … those people-to people relations help build understanding and activities that we can see a spike in, particularly Lunar New Year, present an enormous opportunity for Australia,' Mr Albanese said, spruiking a new tourism deal to bring in more Chinese visitors to Australia.
On a face-to-face with Trump, Mr Albanese told Sky News on Tuesday that he would 'have a meeting when it's scheduled' and suggested there would be plenty of opportunities in coming months.
He has organised more than half a dozen overseas trips or conferences by the end of 2025, Sky News revealed recently.
The Albanese government maintains that the US President has agreed to a meeting, and that it will take place at an appropriate time.
On Australia's military relationship with the Americans, Mr Albanese was asked about what role Australia would play if the US and China went to war over Taiwan.
'Our aim of investing in our capability and as well investing in our relationships is about advancing peace and security in our region. That's our objective and that is why we invest in our region,' Mr Albanese said.
The Prime Minister was pressed on defence spending after it was reported a key Pentagon official had been 'pressing Japan and Australia' to make clear what role they would play if such a war over Taiwan broke out.
'We support the status quo when it comes to Taiwan. We don't support any unilateral action there. We have a clear position and we have been consistent about that,' he said.
'We want peace and security in our region. We don't want any change to the status quo. That's Australia's position today. That was Australia's decision last week.'
US under-secretary of defence for policy Elbridge Colby, a sceptic of providing Australia with the nuclear submarines, who is currently leading a review into the AUKUS agreement, has pushed the issue in meetings with officials from both countries in recent months.
Publicly outlining the role Australia would play would signal an end to the policy of 'strategic ambiguity' both Australia and the United States have towards Taiwan.
Mr Colby responded to the reports in a post on X, claiming he was implementing the President's agenda of 'restoring deterrence and achieving peace through strength', adding that it included 'urging allies to step up their defence spending and other efforts related to our collective defence'.
The Prime Minister said he would keep private discussion out of the public eye and addressed Australia's defence spending as he has done in the past.
'Australia is considerably increasing our defence spending. I say the same thing privately as I say publicly, $57 billion over 10 years,' he said.
'We are increasing our defence spending and investment by more than $10 billion. We have contributed as well to AUKUS already going forward, $1 billion being forwarded to help increase the industrial capacity in the United States and we'll continue to invest in whatever we need to improve our capability.'
On AUKUS, Mr Albanese was asked on whether the nuclear submarine deal was underpinned by a strategy of 'containing China' and was further pressed on how the submarines would be used.
'AUKUS is underpinned by something that's in the interests of our three nations and we'll continue to invest in our capability and invest in our relationships,' Mr Albanese said.
' Australia is, through the AUKUS arrangements, providing considerable capacity, including increasing the capacity of the United States and the United Kingdom for their own capability. That's why we're investing there.'