President Joe Biden issues a warning to Anthony Albanese ahead of his visit to China this week
US President Joe Biden has warned Australia to be careful about trusting China as Anthony Albanese tries to repair relations with the communist nation.
The President made the comments this week during Mr Albanese’s visit to the White House in Washington DC, days before the Prime Minister visits Beijing.
Biden was asked at a joint news conference with Mr Albanese whether he thought Australia should trust China, given its history with economic sanctions, cyber attacks, surveillance and human rights abuses.
“Trust but verify is the expression,” the president responded.
“China currently has its own internal and external problems.
US President Joe Biden (pictured right with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese) has warned Australia to be careful about trusting China
“China’s economic growth is stagnant compared to what it was. China has engaged in activities that Russia and many others have also engaged in, in terms of intimidation with other countries.”
Biden also warned China about the recent harassment of Philippine ships in the South China Sea.
“Any attack on Philippine aircraft, ships or forces will invoke our mutual defense treaty with the Philippines,” he said.
‘I want to be very clear. The United States’ defense commitments to the Philippines are rock solid.”
In 2021, President Biden established a trilateral security alliance called AUKUS involving Australia and Britain.
This partnership will allow the United States to supply Australia with nuclear technology, which will be used to power traditionally armed Australian submarines.
President Biden said he was “confident” that Congress would fund AUKUS.
“It’s overwhelmingly in our best interest,” he said.”
“When we closed the deal, I was asked by Xi Jinping if we were just trying to encircle China. I said, ‘No, we are not surrounding China. We just ensure that the shipping routes remain open.’
“He can’t unilaterally change the rules of the road when it comes to what international airspace and waterspace means and so on. And that’s what it’s all about.’
President Biden revealed that Chinese President Xi Jinping (pictured) had previously asked him why the US was ‘working so hard’ with Australia
He revealed the conversation with the Chinese leader during talks with Mr Albanese in the Oval Office
Earlier in the visit, Biden said the Chinese leader had asked him why the US was “working so hard” with Australia.
“I said, ‘because we are a Pacific nation,’” President Biden said.
‘We are, and we will remain so.’
Mr Albanese used his speech to emphasize the importance of Australia’s ties with the US and reaffirmed his goal of keeping the Indo-Pacific region ‘free, open, prosperous and secure’.
“The relationship between Australia and the United States has never been more important – and of course never stronger than now,” he said.
“Our efforts through AUKUS are one of the many ways we work together to deter aggression and support a free and open Indo-Pacific that is secure and stable.”
Albanese will meet President Xi in Beijing – the first trip to the Chinese capital by an Australian leader since Malcom Turnbull visited in 2016.
Mr Albanese said Australia would “work together where we can” with China and “disagree where we should just be concerned with our national interest”.
“It’s in Australia’s interest, as well as China’s, but I believe in the global importance of a relationship that allows for dialogue,” he said.
‘Dialogue creates understanding and spreads tension. We want a peaceful and safe region.’