Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived in Washington early Monday morning (October 23) for a four-day visit primarily to tackle the AUKUS submarine deal with US President Joe Biden, as well as deal with the ongoing war between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas.
Albanese and Biden have met each other eight times in the past 16 months before this week's visit, according to VOA.
Read also: Pro-Palestinian Rallies in Australia Draw Thousands of Participants: 'Palestine Will Never Die'
Australian PM Talks with US Lawmakers on AUKUS Sub Deal
Before leaving, Albanese told reporters in Canberra that the alliance between Australia and the US was "central to Australia's foreign policy."
The two nations have formal security ties dating back to the early 1950s.
The prime minister would also hold talks with members of the US Congress about the legislation needed to ensure the progress of the AUKUS alliance after Australian media reported that some US lawmakers expressed hesitation and concern about the deal.
AUKUS is a trilateral accord between the US, Australia, and the UK which was announced in September 2021 that would help the Australian navy procure nuclear-powered submarines.
It is estimated that the agreement could cost Australia up to $244 billion and was widely seen as a counter to China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
Australian Ambassador to the US and former prime minister Kevin Rudd told Australian public broadcaster ABC that the AUKUS partnership would be a key part of his successor's visit to Washington, along with talks on clean energy and the ongoing war in Israel and Gaza.
"Ensuring that all the relevant AUKUS legislation finds its way successfully through the U.S. Congress," he said. "Two, broadening the economic relationship in information technology, defense technology as well as clean energy technology and beyond that again, to enhance our clean energy compact and new work together on critical minerals."
Albanese's Trip to Beijing Imminent
Albanese would also visit Beijing next month to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping to improve the two nations' economic ties after a dispute over Australian wine exports at the World Trade Organization has been suspended.
China has previously criticized the AUKUS accord, accusing the three countries of going down "a dangerous road for their own selfish political gains... in complete disregard of the concerns of the international community."
Last week, Albanese also said he would not visit Israel despite pressure from the federal opposition led by Peter Dutton. He explained that, while Australia remained united in its support for Israel, his government's priority was to engage with both Jewish and Palestinian communities in the country.
