President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia today in Wilmington, Delaware. The President thanked the Prime Minister for his partnership and highlighted the progress made in strengthening bilateral ties since the Prime Minister's Official Visit to Washington, D.C., last October.
The leaders underscored that the U.S.-Australia Alliance remains the core of the bilateral relationship, and welcomed the depth of cooperation across its three pillars: defense and security, economic, and climate and clean energy. The leaders noted the recent Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) Joint Leaders Statement reaffirming their shared commitment to advance this historic trilateral partnership and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific that is secure and stable.
The leaders reflected on the strength of the economic relationship and discussed progress over the past two years to modernize the Alliance in the face of new challenges, including addressing climate change and the clean energy transition. They also reaffirmed their commitment to expand cooperation to build more diverse and resilient critical minerals supply chains and accelerate the transition to clean energy in accordance with the "Compact" they signed in Hiroshima, Japan, in May 2023.
The two leaders also discussed their support for maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, their continued assistance to Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia's brutal aggression, and their support for a sustainable ceasefire and increased humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza. The leaders discussed their respective diplomacy with the People's Republic of China (PRC) and their shared concerns about the PRC's coercive and destabilizing activities, including in the South China Sea. The President welcomed Australia's contributions to the Quad, its growing partnership with Japan, and its active engagement in the Pacific region, where the United States intends to provide $1.5 million to support the World Bank's efforts to strengthen correspondent banking relationships in Pacific Island countries.
The leaders committed to continue deepening the bilateral partnership to advance their shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
