The United States President, Joe Biden has openly congratulated Australia’s incoming prime minister Anthony Albanese on his election victory on Sunday.
Biden had called to congratulate him on his election victory and underline the strength of their countries’ alliance, the White House had reported.
The two leaders will meet Tuesday at the Quad group summit in Tokyo and the White House has praised Albanese for deciding to make the trip.
“President Biden reaffirmed the United States’ steadfast commitment to the US-Australia alliance and his intent to work closely with the new government to make it stronger still,” it said in a statement.
“President Biden expressed deep appreciation for the prime minister-designate’s own early commitment to the alliance, reflected in his decision to travel almost immediately to Tokyo to attend the Quad Summit.”
This is “a vital opportunity to exchange views and continue to drive practical cooperation in the Indo-Pacific”, the statement added, using the administration’s term for the Asia-Pacific region.
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The Quad, comprising Australia, Japan, India and the United States, is a loose grouping established during Washington’s efforts to reinforce its regional leadership and counteract an increasingly muscular Chinese military and trade presence.
Anthony Albanese, the newly elected prime minister is the only child of a single mother who was raised in a working-class neighbourhood of Sydney, has led his Labor Party to victory in the national election in Australia, ending nine years of conservative rule.
The opposition Labor party with 72 seats is yet to gain a parliamentary majority in the 151-member parliament, as the counting of votes is still under way.
“The Australian people have voted for change. I am humbled by this victory,” the 59-year-old Labor leader told his supporters in Sydney.
Albanese, nicknamed “Albo”, will be sworn in as prime minister after his Labor party claimed its first electoral win since 2007.
He has promised big changes after nearly 10 years of conservative rule, from stepping up climate action to boosting Indigenous rights and cracking down on political corruption.
In his first comments after the election win, Albanese said he wanted to bring Australians together.
“I want to unite the country. I think people have had enough of division, what they want is to come together as a nation and I intend to lead that,” he said referring to the divisive politics under conservative Prime Minister Scott Morrisson.
Earlier, Prime Minister Morrison conceded defeat as he congratulated Albanese on his victory.