Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among seven leaders of the world who were invited to join U.S. President Donald Trump for dinner in South Korea on the side of the APEC summit. The special gathering was held at the Hilton Hotel with a big banner inside the hall indicating it was a “special dinner in honour of President Donald J. Trump and state leaders.” Albanese sat alongside Trump and received robust acclaim from the American president.
“We had a great meeting a week ago,” Trump spoke of Albanese’s visit to Washington last week. “You’ve done a great job and we’re collaboratively working on rare earths, but we’re collaboratively working on a lot of things and it’s working out very well,” Last week the two leaders signed a $3 billion Washington DC critical minerals agreement. The agreement is part of a larger push to escape China’s grip on that sector.
Albanese Cut Malaysia Trip Short for Dinner
Albanese’s attendance at the supper dinner is the reason behind his shortening his visit to Malaysia, flying to South Korea on Wednesday prior to the APEC summit commencing officially. The other dinner invitees included those from Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand, Vietnam, Canada and South Korea. Trump entered the function accompanied by New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, and the two men exchanged playful jokes about hair. Luxon, who is bald, informed Trump that the last time he spoke to South Korea’s
president “he gave me grief about my hair.” Trump responded “Your hair is beautiful,” and Luxon responded, “I thought so.” At the beginning of dinner, Trump complimented South Korea on the warm reception he had received. “You rolled out a red carpet that was a very good red carpet, a beautiful red carpet,” he said. The leaders sipped Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon wine produced by a winery owned by Eric Trump, who is the president’s son, South Korea’s presidential office said.
Big Meeting with China Coming Today
Trump travelled to Malaysia, Japan and then South Korea this week, discussing trade with all three nations and signing new agreements with each of them. His much-awaited meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping will be held on Tuesday. Global leaders are expecting the two largest economies’ leaders to agree on a trade deal and bring an end to their trade war.
Trump indicated the session would be in the morning and predicted it would go for three or four hours. “We have been discussing a great deal over the past month, and I believe we are going to have something that will be very, very satisfactory to China and to us,” he told reporters. “I think it’s going to be a very good meeting, I look forward to it.”
Trump also assured South Korea he would make an effort to speak with North Korea. “You have a neighbour that hasn’t been as nice as they could be, and I think they will be,” he said. “I know Kim Jong Un very well, and I think things will work out very well.” Before Trump visited South Korea, North Korea launched sea-to-surface cruise missiles into its western seas as another display of its increasing military power.
News At Glance
- Anthony Albanese one of just seven global leaders invited to a special Trump dinner
- Trump thanked Albanese for the recent $3 billion critical minerals agreement signed in Washington
- Albanese shortened Malaysia visit to join a dinner in South Korea
- Trump’s meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping is expected to last today for three to four hours
- Leaders were treated to wine made from a winery owned by Trump’s son Eric at dinner
FAQs
Q: Why was this dinner so exclusive?
A: Just seven global leaders among all the APEC summit participants were invited. It was specially marked as a “special dinner in honour of President Donald J. Trump and state leaders.”
Q: What did Trump say about Australia?
A: Trump complimented Albanese by saying “you’ve done a fantastic job” and added they’re cooperating on rare earths and a lot of other things that are “working out very well.”
Q: Why did Albanese shorten his trip to Malaysia?
A: His presence at this special dinner is the reason he departed from Malaysia ahead of schedule to travel to South Korea on Wednesday before the APEC summit begins.
Q: Who else hosted a seat at the dinner?
A: The leaders of Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand, Vietnam, Canada and South Korea accompanied Trump and Albanese at the dinner party.
Q: What’s the high-profile meeting everyone is observing?
A: Trump’s meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping today. They will be speaking for three to four hours on trade and hopefully agree to cease their trade war.
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