Q: You and Minister Wong have for years talked about the need to deepen ties in the ASEAN region. Do you believe that Trump’s tariff regime will push ASEAN countries further into China’s orbit?

Albanese:

What I want to see is us strengthen our relationship further with ASEAN countries. I was very proud to host every leader of ASEAN in Melbourne in March of last year. That was really significant. I don’t think, with respect, it got, perhaps, the coverage and the acknowledgement that it should have. I was really proud that every single leader came. No deputies. No representatives. Every single leader. And that’s a direct result of the hard work that my government has done to turn those relationships around. …Our relationship with Indonesia has never been stronger. Never been stronger. And the work that we’ve done there, but with other nations in ASEAN as well. And one of our responses to the decision of last Thursday will be to build on that.

I will convene – won’t necessarily go tell all of them – but the idea of missions, business missions – we’ve had business missions to Indonesia, to India, to Lao, to the region to China as well – that have been important in terms of those economic relationships.