The trip will conclude in Thailand with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Bangkok.
It is the first time these summits will be held in-person since the COVID-19 pandemic began, offering Albanese a prime opportunity to build a personal rapport with his leaders beyond more sanitised phone calls and Zoom meetings.
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Albanese’s diplomatic speed-dating sessions will include his first meeting with new British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, as well as one-on-one meetings with the leaders of Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand. Another meeting with US President Joe Biden is likely.
Most anticipated of all is a possible encounter with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the first of its kind since Malcolm Turnbull met Xi in 2017 and the near total collapse in bilateral relations between China and Australia almost three years ago.
In the latest sign that hostilities are beginning to thaw, state-controlled newspaper China Daily said in an editorial this week that “China values its relations with Australia and regards Australia as an important partner for dialogue and co-operation”.
Albanese cautioned on Friday that a meeting with Xi was not “locked in” but said he was eager for dialogue.
“We want to see a stabilisation in the relationship,” he told the ABC.
Xi will not attend the East Asia Summit, sending Chinese Premier Li Keqiang instead, meaning an Albanese-Xi meeting would be at either the G20 or APEC.
Asia Society Australia executive director of policy Richard Maude warns the Chinese are likely to keep Australia guessing until the last minute about whether a meeting with Xi will take place or not.
Xi will meet with Biden in Bali on Monday for their first in-person meeting since Biden’s inauguration.
The White House said the leaders of the world’s largest superpowers would “discuss efforts to maintain and deepen lines of communication between the United States and the PRC, responsibly manage competition, and work together where our interests align”.
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Although he copped criticism for not attending the COP27 climate conference in Egypt, climate change will be a key part of Albanese’s agenda in south-east Asia.
He wants countries in the region to know that Labor is taking a more ambitious approach to emissions reduction than the previous Coalition government and sees tackling climate change as a fundamental issue of our times.
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