Latest news with #Albanese-Trump
AllAfrica
11-07-2025
- Business
- AllAfrica
In a complex world of shifting alliances, Albanese heads to China
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese leaves for China on Saturday, confident most Australians back the government's handling of relations with the country's most important economic partner and the leading strategic power in Asia. Albanese's domestic critics have lambasted him for meeting Chinese leader Xi Jinping before United States President Donald Trump. They are also aggrieved at his refusal to label China a security threat. But neither criticism really stacks up. An Albanese-Trump meeting would have happened last month on the sidelines of a G7 gathering in Canada. It was Trump who left early, standing up more leaders than just Albanese. Nor is Albanese the first Australian prime minister to meet a Chinese president before an American one. His predecessor Tony Abbott caught up with Xi a few weeks after coming to office in 2013, before he had a chance to meet President Barack Obama. Meanwhile, polling indicates just one in five Australians sees the relationship with China first and foremost as 'a threat to be confronted.' Rather, a clear two-thirds majority sees it as 'a complex relationship to be managed.' Albanese is also regarded as more competent than his opposition counterpart in handling Australia's foreign policy generally – and better at managing the China relationship specifically. The prime minister's Chinese hosts also have an incentive to ensure his visit is a successful one. In the past fortnight, China's ambassador in Canberra, Xiao Qian, has penned opinion pieces in two of Australia's biggest media outlets, insisting Australia and China are 'friends, not foes' and touting the 'comprehensive turnaround' in bilateral ties since Labor won government in May 2022. Beijing and Washington each views the other as its geopolitical priority. Beijing can make it harder for Washington to enlist security allies such as Canberra in this rivalry by maintaining its own strong and constructive bilateral ties with Australia. And quite apart from the competition with the US, China relied on Australia last year as its fifth largest import source. None of this is to say Albanese's visit will be easy, because Australia-China relations are rarely smooth. Canberra continues to have many complaints about China's international behaviour. For example, Foreign Minister Penny Wong recently signed a joint statement with her counterparts in Washington, Tokyo and New Delhi expressing 'serious concerns regarding dangerous and provocative actions' by China in the East and South China Seas, and the 'abrupt constriction … of key supply chains.' Wong has also said the government remains 'appalled' by the treatment of Australians imprisoned in China, including Yang Hengjun, who is facing espionage charges he strongly denies. Defense Minister Richard Marles has voiced Canberra's alarm at Beijing's 'no limits agreement' with Moscow, and claimed China has engaged in the biggest conventional military build-up since the end of the Second World War. However, this assessment is contested by independent Australian analysts. Beijing also has plenty of complaints. They include Canberra's ongoing pursuit of closer military cooperation with the US and UK through the AUKUS pact. There is also the commitment to forcing the sale of the lease to operate the Port of Darwin that is currently held by a Chinese company. Albanese has already made clear his visit to China will have a strong economic focus. While grappling with security challenges, any Australian government, Labor or coalition, must face the reality that last year, local companies sold more to China – worth A$196 billion (US$129 billion) – than the country's next four largest markets combined. China is also, by far, Australia's biggest supplier, putting downward pressure on the cost of living. Research produced by Curtin University, commissioned by the Australia-China Business Council, finds trade with China increases disposable income of the average Australian household by $2,600, or 4.6% per person. In an ideal world, Australia would have a more diversified trading mix. But again, any Australian government or business must grapple with the reality that obvious major alternative markets, like the US, are not only less interested in local goods and services, but are walking away from their past trade commitments. Under the Australia-US Free Trade Agreement signed two decades ago, Australian exporters selling to the US faced an average tariff of just 0.1%. But nowadays Washington applies a baseline tariff of 10% on most Australian imports. Meanwhile, owing to the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement struck in 2015, Beijing applies an average tariff of just 1.1%. No wonder more Australians now say China is a more reliable trading partner than the US. This also explains Alabanese's response when he was asked in April if he would support Trump's trade war against China: It would be extraordinary if the Australian response was 'thank you' and we will help to further hurt our economy Likewise, Trade Minister Don Farrell is adamant that Australia's interests will determine the Albanese government's choices, not 'what the Americans may or may not want.' We don't want to do less business with China, we want to do more business with China. Deeper trade ties with Asia, including China, are not just about making a buck. Wong has stressed the national security implications of a strong economic relationship: [It is] an investment in our security. Stability and prosperity are mutually reinforcing. All of this means Albanese's six-day visit to China is shaping up to be time well spent. James Laurenceson is the director and a professor at the Australia-China Relations Institute (UTS:ACRI), University of Technology Sydney. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Sky News AU
03-07-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
'I'm looking forward to that': Efforts underway to arrange a meeting between Trump and Albanese
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has confirmed that Washington is keen to reschedule a face-to-face meeting between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President Donald Trump, after the President abruptly cancelled their planned talks during last month's G7 summit. Wong, speaking exclusively to Sky News Australia in Washington DC during a diplomatic visit, said she received assurances from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the administration regrets the cancellation and is committed to making the meeting happen. 'I had a really good meeting yesterday with Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, and he obviously expressed regret for the meeting having to be rescheduled between the President and the Prime Minister,' Senator Wong said. 'We agreed to work together on rescheduling the meeting, so I'm looking forward to that happening.' The Albanese-Trump meeting was initially meant to take place on the sidelines of the G7 but President Trump cut his attendance short, returning to Washington amid surging conflict in the Middle East - a move that left several bilateral discussions on ice. Despite concerns about the optics of the cancellation, Wong emphasised that Australia remains flexible. 'As the Prime Minister has said, you know, we're obviously very flexible about those arrangements but the President is a very, very busy man,' she said. 'But I was pleased that Secretary Rubio made clear that… they want to reschedule it. It was disappointing, as he said, that they had to reschedule because the President had to return as a consequence of what was occurring in the Middle East.' The Foreign Minister is in Washington for high-level talks with US officials and to attend the latest Quad Meeting alongside counterparts from India and Japan. Discussions have focused on Indo-Pacific security, critical minerals, defence capability and the future of the AUKUS pact. Wong also addressed strategic cooperation on critical minerals, indicating that Australia's resource wealth is increasingly vital to its relationship with Washington. 'Australia has a great many of the world's critical minerals. We have a capacity not just to mine them but also process them. We're already doing that, and we can do more,' she said. 'We see the strategic benefit in critical minerals… assuring those supply chains is important for Australia, it's important for the US, its allies and partners.' She downplayed speculation that the alliance between Canberra and Washington has cooled under the Trump presidency and the relationship is the most distant it has ever been. 'This is my second time in Washington in six months. We've had two Quad meetings here. Richard (Marles) has been here. Jim Chalmers, the Treasurer, has been here. The Prime Minister's had three very constructive conversations with the President,' Wong said. 'I don't agree with your characterisation (that the alliance is distant).' Nonetheless, she acknowledged that President Trump has a markedly different foreign policy outlook. 'There's no doubt that President Trump envisages a very different role for America in the world. I've been upfront about that and we respect that. That's what the American people voted for,' she said. With the AUKUS pact due for a major review in 2025 - and Australia not expected to receive its first Virginia-class submarine until the 2030s - Wong said it was reasonable for future US administrations to revisit aspects of the deal. 'It's quite rational that a new administration would review this arrangement just as the British did,' she said. 'This is a multi-decade task… governments, foreign ministers, defence ministers, prime ministers, presidents… of all colours over many decades will have to deliver this, and we're going to have to work together.'
Courier-Mail
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Courier-Mail
Firefighters shot responding to Idaho blaze in suspected ambush
Welcome once again to our US live blog. A horrific situation unfolded in Idaho on Sunday after two firefighters were killed and multiple others shot in a suspected ambush. Firefighters issued a desperate plea for help at around 2pm after coming under attack while responding to a brush fire at Canfield Mountain near Coeur d'Alene in the state's north. 'Everybody's shot up here,' a firefighter could be heard saying over radio. 'It's clear to me that this fire was set intentionally to draw us in.' After a massive law enforcement response, with police themselves coming under fire from the mountain, SWAT team members located a deceased man with a gun nearby on Sunday night. X SUBSCRIBER ONLY In other US news on Sunday, President Donald Trump has suggested that federal investigators would coerce reporters to tell the government who leaked the 'low confidence' preliminary Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment that his strikes on Iran may only set the regime's nuclear program back by a few months. Mr Trump repeated his demand that the leaker be prosecuted and speculated that Democrats may have been behind the report going public. 'They could find out easily. And you go up and tell the reporter, 'National security, who gave it.' You have to do that. And, I suspect will be doing things like that,' Mr Trump told Fox News' Sunday Morning Futures in a pre-taped interview. Follow below for more updates Originally published as Firefighters shot responding to Idaho blaze in suspected ambush 'Doesn't like Rudd': Pollster reveals 'biggest issue' blocking Albanese-Trump meeting Brielle Burns Former Prime Minister and Ambassador to the United States Kevin Rudd is blocking Anthony Albanese from securing a meeting with Donald Trump, the US President's former pollster has claimed. Speaking to Sky News about the strained relationship between Australia and the US, pollster Brent Buchanan said he believes Mr Trump 'doesn't like the current ambassador, and that's one of the biggest issues'. 'Donald Trump needs to find an Australian that he likes – or Australia needs to find an Australian that Donald Trump likes and let that person take point – because so much with Donald Trump is personal relationships.' Kevin Rudd. Picture: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Mr Buchanan said the Ambassadorial role is important for getting through to the Trump administration for 'certain countries' but emphasised 'Donald Trump's a deal maker, and so if you bring a deal, he's going to talk through it'. He added Mr Rudd's expertise on China is 'a great opportunity to build relationships with our Congress because that is the one issue that is bipartisan still in this Congress, which is anti-China'. Canada announces U-turn after Trump retaliates Brielle Burns Canada has rescinded a digital services tax on US tech firms in the hopes of advancing trade takes with its southern neighbour. The U-turn comes after President Donald Trump abruptly terminated all trade talks with Canada over the tax, which he described as a 'direct and blatant attack' on the US. In a statement on the Government of Canada website, the Department of Finance Canada wrote: 'Canada's new government is engaged in complex negotiations on a new economic and security partnership with the United States, focused on getting the best deal for Canadian workers and businesses.' Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Picture: Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press/AP 'To support those negotiations, the Minister of Finance and National Revenue, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, announced today that Canada would rescind the Digital Services Tax (DST) in anticipation of a mutually beneficial comprehensive trade arrangement with the United States.' 'Consistent with this action, Prime Minister Carney and President Trump have agreed that parties will resume negotiations with a view towards agreeing on a deal by July 21, 2025.' There was no immediate comment from the White House or Mr Trump. The digital services tax, enacted last year, would have seen US service providers such as Alphabet and Amazon on the hook for a multi-billion-dollar payment in Canada by Monday, analysts have said. The tax had been forecast to bring in Can$5.9 billion (US$4.2 billion) over five years. The US has previously requested dispute settlement talks over the tax but over the weekend, Mr Trump said he was ending trade talks with Canada 'effectively immediately', despite the two countries working to negotiate a trade deal by mid-July. He also warned the nation would learn its new tariff rate within the week. 'We have just been informed that Canada, a very difficult Country to TRADE with, including the fact that they have charged our Farmers as much as 400% Tariffs, for years, on Dairy Products, has just announced that they are putting a Digital Services Tax on our American Technology Companies, which is a direct and blatant attack on our Country,' he wrote in the post. 'Based on this egregious Tax, we are hereby terminating ALL discussions on Trade with Canada, effective immediately.' US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Friday that Washington had hoped Mr Carney's government would halt the tax 'as a sign of goodwill.' – With AFP 'Did not have a chance': Firefighters appear to be only victims Brielle Burns Three firefighters – including two who died and one who was left hospitalised – appear to be the only victims of the shooting, police said. Sheriff Bob Norris said authorities will not name the two deceased firefighters at this time, noting 'their families will need support'. 'This was a total ambush. These firefighters did not have a chance,' he said. Suspected shooter believed to have acted alone Brielle Burns The man found dead with a gun on Canfield Mountain is believed to have acted alone in the attack, police have confirmed. 'We have one dead shooter,' Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris said in a press conference. 'Based on the preliminary information we believe that was the only shooter up on that mountain at that time,' he added. 'There is no threat to the community at this time.' Sheriff Norris said it was not clear whether the man had shot himself. He also confirmed the deaths of a firefighter from Coeur d'Alene and another from Kootenai County. A third firefighter from Coeur d'Alene Fire Department remains in hospital in a stable condition. 'He is fighting for his life.' The sheriff said the wildfire on Canfield Mountain had grown to 20 acres. Suspected shooter found dead Frank Chung The suspected shooter has been found dead, police have announced. 'This evening, members of the SWAT team located a deceased male on Canfield Mountain,' the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. 'A firearm was found nearby.' Police will be providing more information at a press briefing at 9.30pm (2.30pm AEST). 'At this time, the Shelter in Place is being lifted however there is still an active wildfire on Canfield Mountain,' the statement added. 'Residents in the area are advised to be prepared and ready should further action need to be taken.' Shooting area a popular hiking location Frank Chung Canfield Mountain on the east side of Coeur d'Alene. Picture: Google Maps Coeur d'Alene is a resort town in North Idaho with a population of around 55,000. The Canfield Mountain Natural Area is a popular hiking and biking location on the east side of the city. Canfield Mountain features more than 40 kilometres of trails. The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office has now designated the mountain a no-fly zone, including a 'strict prohibition on drone use'. 'Unauthorised aircraft or drones in the area pose a serious risk to firefighting and law enforcement operations,' Kootenai County Emergency Management wrote on Facebook. Senator condemns 'villainous attack' Frank Chung Ohio Senator Jim Risch has issued a statement decrying the 'villainous attack'. 'Vicki and I join all Idahoans in mourning the heroic first responders murdered and others injured in the line of duty in Kootenai County,' he wrote on X. 'This villainous attack on the people who dedicate their lives to protecting and serving our communities is despicable and NOT Idaho. We pray for the victims, their loved ones, and for justice.' Vicki and I join all Idahoans in mourning the heroic first responders murdered and others injured in the line of duty in Kootenai County. This villainous attack on the people who dedicate their lives to protecting and serving our communities is despicable and NOT Idaho. We pray… â€' Jim Risch (@SenatorRisch) June 30, 2025 One firefighter in surgery, two dead Frank Chung The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) has confirmed two of its members are dead and one is in surgery. 'While responding to a fire earlier today in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, IAFF members were ambushed in a heinous act of violence,' the IAFF wrote on X. 'Two of our brothers were killed by a sniper, and a third brother remains in surgery. Please keep them, their families, and law enforcement in your prayers.' While responding to a fire earlier today in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, IAFF members were ambushed in a heinous act of violence. Two of our brothers were killed by a sniper, and a third brother remains in surgery. Please keep them, their families, and law enforcement in your prayers. â€' International Association of Fire Fighters (@IAFFofficial) June 30, 2025 BREAKING: Firefighters 'ambushed' by sniper in Idaho Frank Chung Police responding to the scene in North Idaho. Picture: Fox News Two firefighters have been killed and multiple others shot in Idaho in a suspected ambush set with a deliberately lit blaze. A massive police response is currently underway at the scene near Coeur d'Alene in the state's north, with the suspect or suspects still shooting at law enforcement. Kootenai County Sheriff Robert Norris told a news conference on Sunday evening that at least two people were dead, believed to be firefighters, and that authorities were still 'actively taking sniper fire' as he spoke. 'We now have two deaths,' he said. 'We have an unknown amount of casualties. We still have civilians that are coming off of that mountain. We have we might have civilians that are stuck or in shock on that mountain. So this is a very, very fresh situation.' More ⌄ 'Enemy of God': Iranian leaders issue Trump fatwas Frank Chung Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi. Picture: MNA A pair of senior Iranian religious leaders have issued ominous decrees in response to 'repeated threats' by Donald Trump against the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. US Senator Ted Cruz shared a post on X from pro-Israel influencer Eyal Yakoby suggesting 'Iran's Ayatollah has issued a death fatwa targeting President Trump', writing, 'Oh.' The Texas Republican clashed with Tucker Carlson earlier this month over claims Iran had repeatedly attempted to assassinate Mr Trump, with the popular right-wing podcaster expressing disbelief at the allegations. But the claim of a 'death fatwa' is not quite true. More ⌄ Load more posts
Sky News AU
07-06-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
G7 Summit set to test Albanese-Trump ties as military and trade disputes loom following Washington's demands of Canberra
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has yet to schedule his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the G7 summit amid pressure from Washington for Canberra to boost military spending. Mr Albanese and President Trump will likely meet for the first time in Kananaskis, Canada between June 15 and 17—either a formal meeting or a discussion on the summit sidelines. President Trump's attendance at the G7 summit itself remains unconfirmed, but preparations are underway on the assumption that the meeting will occur. It comes after the request from US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth for Australia to lift defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP, up from the 2.33 per cent projected by 2033. Trade Minister Don Farrell told Sky News Sunday Agenda that the government had "walked the talk" on existing defence investments. "We are committed to the defence of this country. We are committed to a significant uplift in the amount of spending," he said. Mr Albanese has not ruled out further defence investment, but maintains any additional spending must be aligned with specific needs—not what he calls 'arbitrary targets'. However, Defence Chief Admiral David Johnston told a defence summit on Wednesday that his department would likely ask for a funding boost in the next biennial review. 'The opportunity we have with the biennial cycle now is to keep coming back and reviewing the strategy,' he said. 'Looking at the opportunities or where the investments are required, putting the case to government to increase the defence expenditure where we believe it is needed.' Admiral Johnston also expressed concern about the possibility of Australia waging war in the future on home soil, rather than overseas. However, inside the government there has been a belief that they do not expect a direct military invasion of Australia by China. Rather, insiders view strategic assets like submarines and long-range missiles as tools to protect critical trade routes, not to repel a land invasion. The clash over defence spending follows a week of escalating tension between the government and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, which hosted Admiral Johnston. Mr Albanese publicly dismissed the think tank's recent report warning of a 'hollow' Australian Defence Force, calling ASPI's criticisms 'predictable'. ASPI Executive Director Justin Bassi defended the institute's work, saying the public deserves transparency on the country's strategic vulnerabilities. 'Unfortunately, the world has these threats that do impact Australia and to counter these threats we need to, unfortunately, spend more money in the area,' he told Sky News. Adding another layer of complexity to the Albanese-Trump meeting will be growing trade tensions. The White House has moved to double steel tariffs from 25 to 50 per cent, imposed a blanket 10 per cent tariff on all foreign goods, and signalled further barriers on Chinese imports. Sources have said that a proposal to exempt Australia from some of those tariffs in exchange for expanded access to Australian critical minerals was rejected. The suspicion was that the deal was scuttled by President Trump's trade advisor Peter Navarro. Australia has begun considering relaxing biosecurity restrictions to allow US beef imports, a sensitive negotiation being handled by Trade Minister Don Farrell. Despite these flashpoints, senior government figures believe trade, not defence, will dominate the Prime Minister's first engagement with Mr Trump.
