Australia-US Leaders Discuss Cooperation at APEC Dinner

During the APEC 2025 summit held in Gyeongju, South Korea, hosted by President Yoon Suk-yeol, leaders from various countries attended a dinner. At the dinner, Donald Trump praised Anthony Albanese, saying, “We had a fantastic meeting last week… you performed extremely well. We are working together on rare earth issues and cooperating in other areas, and progress is going smoothly.”

This public praise and interaction comes in the context of a recent US-Australia agreement involving critical minerals and rare earths worth approximately USD 13 billion, aimed at strengthening supply chain cooperation and diversifying resource sources. Trump also mentioned his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the dinner.

Analysts have pointed out that the agreement highlights Australia’s important role in resource and supply chain cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region and could help the US reduce dependence on Chinese rare earths. They also noted that while the agreement’s framework is clear, practical implementation will face challenges including technology, investment, and environmental regulations. Additionally, Australia must carefully maintain economic and trade balance with China while deepening cooperation with the US to avoid tensions in bilateral relations.