Biden: Australia `anchor to peace and prosperity'
PM Albanese visits the White House
WASHINGTON » President Joe Biden described Australia as “an anchor to peace and prosperity” while standing alongside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the White House on Wednesday, part of a state visit intended to deepen an alliance that's increasingly viewed as a critical counterweight to China's influence in the Pacific.
It was the ninth and most high-profile meeting between the two leaders, reflecting their work toward closer ties on climate change, technology and national security. The United States also plans to provide nuclear-powered submarines to Australia in the coming years, part of a collaboration with the United Kingdom.
“We renewed our commitment to defend the values that are at the heart of this alliance,” Biden said. “We continue to stand as one to forge a better future for both of us and all of the region.”
The state visit, only the fourth since Biden took office, came against the backdrop of escalating fighting between Israel and Hamas. Biden began a joint press conference with Albanese by expressing concern about the violence and calling for renewed dedication toward the eventual creation of a Palestinian state.
“When this crisis is over, there has to be a vision of what comes next,” he said. “And in our view has to be a two-state solution.”
Biden's remarks also nodded toward the potential for conflict in the South China Sea, where just days ago Chinese ships blocked and collided with two Philippine vessels.
“I want to be very clear,” Biden said. “The United States' defense commitment to the Philippines is iron clad.”
Albanese arrived at the White House on Wednesday morning as a military band played and 4,000 guests watched from the South Lawn.
Biden said their alliance is characterized by “imagination, ingenuity and innovation,” and they will “race undaunted to a future we know is possible if we work together.”
Albanese said the “soul of our partnership” is “not a pact against a common enemy,” but “a pledge to a common cause.”
The two leaders said they would work together on supporting economic development among Pacific island nations, a key arena as the U.S. seeks the upper hand in the region. They plan to invest in building maritime infrastructure and laying undersea cables to strengthen internet connectivity.
They also want to have U.S. companies launch space missions from Australia, and Microsoft announced it would spend $3 billion on cybersecurity, cloud computing and artificial intelligence there.
The initiatives come on top of a previously announced defense arrangement in which the U.S. is developing nuclear-powered submarines for Australia.
The collaboration, which also involves the United Kingdom, is known as AUKUS, an acronym for the three countries' names.
“State visits are a big deal,” said Charles Edel, a senior adviser and Australia chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “They're filled with plenty of pomp and circumstance, but they also serve as an opportunity to take stock of critical relationships and push them further forward.”
Wednesday's events end with a state dinner in a pavilion erected on the South Lawn of the White House. On the menu will be farro and roasted beet salad, butternut squash soup and sarsaparilla-braised short ribs.
The B-52s, a rock group, were originally scheduled to perform, but they've been replaced by military bands.