Biden celebrates the alliance with Australia at the Prime Minister’s reception

“The alliance between Australia and the United States has never been more important than it is today, and we have never been more committed than today,” the Democratic host told his guest.

According to the president, the two countries are “ready to do the hard work, the historic work, to confront the challenges we face.”

Nearly four thousand spectators on the South Lawn of the Executive Mansion attended the official welcome party for Albanese and his wife, Jodie Haydon.

Albanese’s visit comes within the framework of a historic agreement called AUKUS, which is a key step in Biden’s efforts to close Washington’s circle of allies in Europe and the Indo-Pacific region to try to confront China, according to observers and some media outlets.

Upon his arrival in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, Albanese laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

He also visited Microsoft, where the company announced an unprecedented $3 billion artificial intelligence and cybersecurity partnership with Australia.

The previous day, the two governments presented a working group on critical minerals to discuss bilateral cooperation in this area; In addition, the visitor participated in the reopening ceremony of the recently renovated Australian Embassy.

With the reception this morning, Albanese’s official program began, which includes talks with Biden.

White House Director for East Asia and Oceania Mira Rapp-Hooper told reporters the day before that Biden and Albanese would talk about “how to strengthen defense cooperation.”

We believe – the official emphasized – that this visit is an appropriate celebration of the alliance between the United States and Australia (past, present and future).

For this Wednesday, the White House canceled the performance of the New Wave band the B-52s at the state dinner dedicated to Albanians, saying it would not be appropriate.

First Lady Jill Biden rejected the existence of that group because “too many people are suffering from grief and pain,” although she did not mention the genocide committed by Israel in Gaza.

The Australian leader is the fourth world leader to be honored by the Democratic President with a state visit, after the leaders of France, South Korea and India.

OMR/DFM