Opening remarks: Bilateral meeting with President Biden
JOSEPH R. BIDEN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Mr. Prime Minister, it’s wonderful to see you. I’m sorry this meeting is not taking place in your country of Australia and I deeply appreciate the flexibility meeting me here at the G7 meeting in Japan, and that’s because we’ve got a lot to discuss. Together we’ve had a historic year for both of us, and between our allegiance between Australia and the United States. In March in San Diego, we stood together with Prime Minister Sunak, who is also here I might add, to announce the generational commitment through a shared security through our AUKUS trilateral partnership. Australia and the United States have stood together to defend our shared domestic values, including supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russian aggression. Together, we’ve expanded our cooperation across a range of challenges, from space to emerging technologies while advancing our shared vision of seeing a free and open and secure Indo-Pacific. And we’re launching a new joint initiative to accelerate the transition to clean energy, including by building more resilient critical mineral supply chains. This is a huge step from our perspective, a huge step forward in our fight against the climate crisis and I want to thank you for your strong leadership and your partnership in this challenge. I’m looking forward to our conversation today, and hosting you for an official state visit this year in Washington, DC. And again, I truly apologise to you for having you to come here, rather than me being in Australia right now. But we have a thing going on at home right now and I’ve got to pay attention to that. So, thank you very much.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much, Mr. President. And certainly I understand the circumstances that led us to hold the Sydney Quad meeting in Hiroshima later this evening, but also, to catch up with our bilateral that we had scheduled for a few days’ time. We appreciate the alliance as our most important relationship. And today, what we’ve done is add a new element to that alliance up front, very clearly, unequivocally, on climate action. Because climate action, of course, is a national security issue. And it is good that we’ve been able to show the nature of the Quad is that it’s a pragmatic gathering which is about outcomes, and we’re getting those outcomes. I’m sure we’ll be successful later today. But also we’ve had important outcomes with the agreement that we’ve just signed – the Statement of Intent. And I want to say that I appreciate very much the issue that I raised with you in San Diego has been progressed, re- your support for Congress ensuring that Australia is a domestic source under the Defence Production Act. That’s really important. I went to the UK recently for the Coronation, and went up to Barrow to look at the nuclear powered subs that are being built there, and AUKUS is progressing between our three countries as well. And it’s important that we progress pillar two as part of that implementation. I was saddened that you were unable to come down next week but I understand the circumstances that you’re dealing with, and I would have done exactly the same thing. All politics is local, as you and I both understand. And I look forward to sometime in the future to your visit and you will always be the very welcome in Australia as you have in the past as Vice President. And I’m very much looking forward to the state visit as well, as is Jodie. We’re really looking forward to visiting DC, and to continue to build on the relationship that just goes from strength to strength.
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: All politics may be local, but friendship is permanent.
PRIME MINISTER: Absolutely.
ENDS