Interview on Channel 7 Sunrise
28 June 2019
MARK RILEY: Quite the high-powered dinner party last night, and a diplomatic coup for Scott Morrison. What was your message to Donald Trump last night?
PRIME MINISTER: The message that we received and we were providing was one of close friendship. The United States sits at the centre of our relationships all around the world, and has for a long period time, and it was great to meet again and to reacquaint that friendship. But also the ties between the countries could never be stronger. That is very important for Australia, it always has been.
RILEY: We’re friends, and friends can talk frankly. Did you talk frankly about China?
PRIME MINISTER: We of course talked about the global trade tensions that are there and the impact that has more broadly on the global economy, and of course what that means for Australia. And so we’re obviously urging that they are able to resolve these issues. But it’s important to note they’ve got some fair dinkum issues they are trying to sort out. So that’s going to take a lot to work through. They will seek to do that, I am very sure of that. But they are things that do have to be sorted.
RILEY: Did you come away from that meeting with any greater optimism that Donald Trump and President Xi might reach some sort of resolution here?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, I think I walked away with the view that this is going to be tough, because there are some very serious issues that they’re trying to resolve. But that is what this gathering is about. As long as people are talking I think that is a positive thing. But it means that our relationships, both with the United States and China independently of each other will remain very important, and we’ll obviously be continuing to pursue that very strongly.
RILEY: No bilateral meeting with the President Xi here, are things with China a bit strained at the moment?
PRIME MINISTER: No, I wouldn’t describe them in that way. There are plenty of other summits in the back end of this year and I am sure we will have the opportunity to catch up. We are always at that table. Our position on many of the issues that go to that relationship are always very clear. Our patience, and strategic patience I would describe it as, and consistency is very important. We are very supportive of China's economic growth, I made that point this week. It is the biggest economic miracle of the last 100 years and that has been great for Australia. So we don’t have to choose, we just work constructively with everybody.
RILEY: I don't think Australian families really quite understand the detail of what is going on here but they know it is not good. What are you going to do to protect them from this trade war?
PRIME MINISTER: Well again, by not being bystanders, by engaging with the key principles, but also working with all the other key nations as part of the G20. I mean, I had a very positive meeting with Shinzo Abe, who is a great friend of Australia. We sit in very similar situations, where we manage economic and broader relationships with both countries. So to be able to swap notes with countries in similar positions is very helpful.
RILEY: Prime Minister, is there any update on Alek Sigley missing in North Korea?
PRIME MINISTER: No, there is not. I can confirm that he had been originally in South Korea as part of the University of Colombo plan, but no, we have not been able to establish any further details this morning. It is obviously very concerning and other leaders have noted and raised it with me, and I think there is a lot of sympathy for our position and people are very happy to work with us to get to the bottom of what has occurred.
RILEY: Will we see Donald Trump in Australia soon? Did you invite him to the Presidents Cup golf?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes, I did. It would be great for him to come along, I think he’d have a great time and would really enjoy it. But yes I did, and I hope he will be able to come for the Presidents Cup, given it is named after the President.
RILEY: That’s right, and do you think he might come?
PRIME MINISTER: I think there is a chance of it, at both levels. Both at a personal interest level obviously, but also… I mean, what last night said is that we could not be closer. We are seen as their principal ally, particularly in the region, in South East Asia and the South West Pacific. The work that we are doing also on the Pacific, I spoke a lot about the work we’re doing with Pacific nations, and they are very supportive of that too.
RILEY: Just watch out if he asks you for a game of golf while he is here, because he is a bit of a shark apparently.
[Laughter]
PRIME MINISTER: Look, the only Sharks I’ll follow are the ones that play down at Shark Park.
RILEY: We know your Sharks.
[Laughter]
