Australia's Diplomatic Balancing Act: Navigating U.S.-China Relations

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to meet China's President Xi Jinping, highlighting Australia's role as a trade model with China despite closer defense ties with the U.S. Albanese refuses to engage in the U.S.-China trade conflict, maintaining Australia's export relationship with Beijing.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia is gearing up for a significant diplomatic encounter with China's President Xi Jinping. The meeting is slated to take place on the periphery of the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

This engagement underlines Beijing's desire to present Australia as a model for trade relationships with China, especially in the context of the Trump administration's contrasting trade policies. Albanese remains steadfast, avoiding entanglement in the U.S.-China trade spat and prioritizing Australian exports, which have been pivotal in job creation, despite renewed defense ties with Washington.

U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy lauds Australia as a steadfast ally, emphasizing increased defense collaboration. Experts, like Lowy Institute's Richard McGregor, comment on the dual-track approach: fortified security ties with the U.S., alongside distinct, emboldened trade relations with China, as echoed by the China Daily editorial.

(With inputs from agencies.)