President Joe Biden will receive Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday, who is in Washington on a state visit. During negotiations, his focus on China may be overshadowed by the conflict between Israel and Hamas (designated a terrorist organization by the United States).
After intense diplomatic contacts and a joint press conference in the Rose Garden, Biden will honor Albanese with a gala dinner on the White House lawn.
It all reflects the importance Washington places on Australia, its former ally, as a cornerstone of the US strategy to counter an increasingly assertive Beijing in the Asia-Pacific region.
U.S. officials said the two leaders were taking similar positions on two conflicts that had consumed Biden’s time in preparation for the visit: the Middle East and Ukraine.
On Tuesday night, Albanese and his partner Jody Haydon arrived at the White House, where they were greeted by Biden.
An informal dinner and gift exchange followed. The Bidens gifted Australia’s first couple an antique desk from 1886.
This is only Biden’s fourth state visit. He previously hosted the leaders of France, South Korea and India at this level.
Biden invited Albanese after the US leader was forced to cancel a visit to Australia at the last minute in May and return to Washington to work with Congress to avoid a federal budget default.
Congress is now mired in further turmoil that threatens to freeze funding for the AUKUS trilateral agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Albanese’s visit occurs in a context of tensions caused by multiple international crises.
U.S. officials noted that Australia is one of the largest suppliers of military aid to Ukraine and supplies humanitarian aid to the Middle East during the war between Israel and Hamas.
“At this time of crisis in the Middle East, it is more important than ever to redouble our cooperation with Australia,” a senior administration official told reporters.
“Our leaders will focus not only on the Middle East and Ukraine, but also on the Indo-Pacific region,” the official added.
The visit is expected to include announcements on technological cooperation, including Microsoft’s investments in artificial intelligence, as well as clean energy and “critical minerals” to support supply chains.