Overview
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese returned to Canberra after meetings with more than 20 leaders across ASEAN in Malaysia and APEC in South Korea.
- Albanese dined beside President Donald Trump, who publicly praised him as doing a “fantastic job,” reinforcing the strength of the Australia–US relationship.
- Albanese reported informal engagements with President Xi Jinping and said he raised the flares-fired-near-plane incident with China’s premier at APEC.
- Australia and ASEAN partners issued a pointed statement urging conflict prevention and emphasizing freedom of navigation in sea and air corridors.
- Summit discussions underscored pressure on rules-based trade, as the United States advanced critical-minerals deals with Australia, Malaysia and Japan to reduce reliance on Chinese supply.