Albanese Attends ASEAN Summit Ahead of Trump-Xi Trade Talks

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is attending the ASEAN and East Asia summits in Kuala Lumpur followed by the APEC summit in South Korea, where a pivotal meeting between President Trump and President Xi Jinping will address escalating US-China trade tensions. Albanese is advocating for free trade and regional economic integration to promote jobs, wages, and infrastructure development, announcing significant investments in Asia-Pacific projects to support these goals. The Trump-Xi meeting is expected to focus on tariff disputes and trade war de-escalation, with Trump recently threatening harsher tariffs on China if export restrictions on rare earth minerals are not eased. While the US-China rivalry dominates the agenda, other nations are navigating the tensions by maintaining trade relationships and avoiding overt alignment with either power. Albanese's engagement reflects a diplomatic balancing act amid global economic shifts caused by Trump's aggressive tariff policies, as Southeast Asian leaders seek to protect their interests. However, Albanese's recent White House visit with Trump drew criticism for appearing conciliatory towards the US president's controversial statements and policies.