APEC: Anthony Albanese weighs in after China praises him as a role model, talks up US relationship

Anthony Albanese has shrugged off praise from Beijing over his opposition to Donald Trump’s planned Chinese tariffs, saying he was not picking sides but standing up for Australia’s national interest.

Amid concerns the US-China strategic competition will escalate to a trade-war under Mr Trump, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of free and fair trade at Friday’s APEC summit, which Chinese President Xi Jinping snubbed despite being in Lima.

It’s not clear why he missed public and closed-door meetings, but he did attend the leaders’ gala dinner at the Peruvian presidential palace on Friday night.

Mr Xi — who will meet with outgoing US President Joe Biden on Saturday — has held a series of meetings on APEC’s sidelines, in attempts to shore up support ahead of a likely US-China trade war if Mr Trump follows through on his proposed tariff agenda.

Mr Albanese had criticised Mr Trump’s proposed 60 per cent tax on Chinese imports and up to 20 per cent on other goods, including those from Australia, and vowed to use Canberra’s middle power to try and manage emerging conflicts.

It prompted China, through its media mouthpiece China Daily, to praise Mr Albanese for being a role model for other Western leaders.

In an editorial, Mr Albanese was lauded for showing “strategic autonomy” and not simply gluing itself to the US’ foreign policy, with Beijing celebrating the fact Australia had been able to improve its trading relationship with China at the same time.

Asked about it, Mr Albanese – who hopes to meet Mr Xi at next week’s G20 summit in Brazil – said: “I don’t subscribe to the China Daily.”

“But I make the point that the improvement in trade between Australia and China is about Australian jobs … We’re a trading nation, and China is our major trading partner,” he said.

“And I am pleased that there’s an increase in our exports to China. We’ve done that without compromising any of Australia’s values, by being clear about what our views are, and we’ve continued to do that, and I look forward to continuing to pursue Australia’s national interests because that’s my job.”

When asked if Australia was in “strategic competition” with China, the PM said it was in Australia’s national interest to “support and continue to engage with our allies in the United States”.

“Our relationship with the United States is very different from our relationship with China, who have a different political system and different values,” he said.

“We will point that out where it’s appropriate, but we will also try to cooperate where we can… and I must say it’s in Australia’s national interest to support and engage with the United States.”

Mr Albanese and Mr Biden shared a friendly handshake and could be seen laughing together as they briefly spoke on Friday.

The PM would not elaborate on what the pair had discussed, but said the exchange had been “friendly”.

“He was upbeat, he was pleased to be here at APEC, he is, of course, continuing to work in the interests of the United States, and will be attending the G20 meeting as well,” he said.

Mr Albanese said he was not reading anything into Mr Xi’s absence from the first day of the leaders summit, saying that was ultimately a matter for the Chinese president.

During his engagements with other APEC leaders on Friday, Mr Albanese said there had been discussions about the challenge “but also the opportunity” of dealing with climate change.

It’s expected to be discussed further on APEC’s final day, and again with the world’s biggest economies at the next summit.

The summits coincide with COP29 in Azerbaijan, where the United Kingdom has announced its ambitious 2035 emissions reduction target of 81 per cent.

Asked if Australia voters could still expect to know Labor’s 2035 targets before the next election, due by May, Mr Albanese would not commit.

He said his focus was instead on delivering the 2030 targets.