Anthony Albanese should have cut China visit short to fly past US and see Donald Trump, says former home affairs boss
Mr Albanese on Friday wrapped up his six-day visit to China where he held talks with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and other senior leaders in Beijing earlier this week.
While Mr Albanese has touted the trip as "another important step in the Australia-China relationship", he has come under fire for not pressing President Xi on more serious foreign policy issues.
The Prime Minister has also copped heat for prioritising a second official visit to China before he nails down a face-to-face meeting with President Trump in Washington DC.
Speaking to Sky News Australia, Mr Pezzullo said he would have advised Mr Albanese to do a shorter visit in order to free him up to stop past the US, or another country, on his way home.
"I would've had a day and a half, maybe two days in Beijing," the former home affairs boss said on Friday.
"I think he had three options. He could have gone to a combination of one or more of Seoul, Tokyo and Manila. That's one option.
"He could have gone to Washington. He's got a VIP jet, he could have gone across to Washington and had the same discussion with President Trump.
"Above tariffs, and pharmaceuticals and all the rest of it, the key discussion that he's going to have with the President is about security in Asia."
Mr Pezzullo, who was the secretary of the Home Affairs Department from 2017 until 2023, said he also would have advised Mr Albanese to rein in the nostalgia.
During his trip, Mr Albanese hiked The Great Wall of China in similar scenes to former Labor prime minister Gough Whitlam - the first Australian leader to visit the country in 1973.
Mr Albanese then toured a panda breeding and research centre in Chengdu, almost four decades after former prime minister Bob Hawke famously visited the zoo in 1986.
The Prime Minister was also serenaded by local musicians who played renditions of Australian rock classics, including Midnight Oil's hit Power and the Passion.
"I wouldn't have done the six days with the pandas and all the rest of it, with iconic shots that compare to Bob Hawke and the rest," Mr Pezzullo told Sky News.
"I would have had a shorter, sharper visit. The engagement with the President is important, President Xi, the leaders' dialogue with the Premier is also important."
Mr Pezzullo emphasised the importance of also holding frank discussions about peace regarding Taiwan, and Australia's position on the matter.
"Behind closed doors I would have had the hard discussion about Taiwan," Mr Pezzullo said.
"I would have said, 'Look, we support the status quo, we believe in, we uphold the One China principle, however, war would be devastating for everyone, for you, for the Americans, for the Taiwanese ... and for ourselves, because we'd all get dragged into it.' I'd have that blunt discussion."
Another option for Mr Albanese could have been stopping past the Northern Territory on his way back to Australia for the opening of military exercise Talisman Sabre, Mr Pezzullo said.
Earlier this week, Mr Albanese reaffirmed Australia's "long-standing bipartisan position that has supported the One China policy".
"By definition, we don't support any unilateral action on Taiwan," Mr Albanese said.
In a statement concluding his diplomatic visit, Mr Albanese said the trip "marks another important step in the Australia-China relationship".
"A stable and constructive relationship with China is in Australia's national interest," he said on Friday.
"We will cooperate where we can, disagree where we must and engage in our national interest.
"Strengthening our security and economic interests with our largest trading partner will boost Australian jobs and support Australian businesses."
Mr Albanese said he used his talks in China to also "advocate for Australia's interests including on trade, consular, human rights and regional and global issues".
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