Scott Morrison finally gets a call from Joe Biden as the pair discuss the rise of China, climate change and a presidential visit to Australia this year
- Scott Morrison has taken a call from Joe Biden, 15 days after his inauguration
- Mr Morrison also personally invited President Biden to visit Australia this year
- They also discussed the rise of China and the issue of Indo-Pacific security
Scott Morrison has finally received a call from new US President Joe Biden, 15 days after his inauguration.
The pair discussed the rise of China, the issue of climate change and Australia’s attendance at the G7 summit in the UK in June.
Mr Morrison also personally invited President Biden to visit Australia with his wife Jill at some point this year to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Anzus alliance between Australia, New Zealand and the US.
Scott Morrison has finally received a call from new US President Joe Biden, 15 days after his inauguration. Pictured: Mr Morrison takes the call on Thursday
The pair discussed the rise of China, the issue of climate change and Australia’s attendance at the G7 summit in the UK in June. Pictured: President Biden
‘He told me he needs no special reason to come to Australia, he loves the place,’ Mr Morrison told reporters.
Asked if the pair discussed the potential security threat posed by China, Mr Morrison said: ‘As you would expect, we discussed regional issues in the Indo-Pacific fully.’
The prime minster said President Biden has a different style from President Trump but believes the US stance on China will remain the same.
‘Obviously there are differences in how that’s expressed and the nuances that are there.
‘But I think in the United States, Australia has a very, very strong and effective partner on these issues of Indo-Pacific security,’ he said.
The region faces growing instability with a border dispute between India and China in the Himalayan mountains threatening to flare up again alongside ongoing Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea.
Australia-China relations are at low point after Beijing banned a range of Aussie exports following Canberra’s call for an investigation into the origins of coronavirus.
Mr Morrison believes Joe Biden (pictured with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2012) is committed to Indo-Pacific security
The prime minster(pictured on Thursday) said President Biden has a different style from President Trump but believes the US stance on China will remain the same
The prime minister said President Biden ‘sees the Australia-US relationship as providing the anchor for peace and security in our region’.
‘We share that view. In terms of our relations between Australia and the United States, there’s nothing to fix there, only things to build on,’ he said.
President Biden has vowed to end Trump’s America First approach to foreign policy by restoring American global leadership, calling out human rights abuses and strengthening traditional alliances.
On December 3, Biden’s new national security advisor Jake Sullivan, who has argued for a competitive approach to China, tweeted ‘America will stand shoulder to shoulder with our ally Australia.’
The tweet did not mention China but was clearly a reference to the tensions between Canberra and Beijing.
The two leaders also discussed climate change. President Biden has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and has reversed Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris agreement to reduce emissions.
Mr Morrison has refused to commit to net zero emissions because he does not know if it is achievable without a hated carbon tax – but said he was not berated by President Biden over this policy difference.
‘We had a very positive discussion about the path we’re on, and the commitments that we’ve made. And, more importantly, how we have been able to exceed those commitments.’
Mr Morrison is confident Australia will ‘meet and beat’ its Paris commitments to reduce emissions by up to 28 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030.
On 3 December Biden’s new national security advisor Jake Sullivan, who has argued for a competitive approach to China, tweeted ‘America will stand shoulder to shoulder with our ally Australia’
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