Vientiane | Anthony Albanese has told Japan’s new leader that Australia remains a trusted and reliable source of gas, and that any concerns that Labor’s decarbonisation policies will reduce exports are misplaced.
The prime minister met his counterpart Shigeru Ishiba on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit on Friday, the first time they have met face-to-face since the 67-year-old party veteran took over from Fumio Kishida last month.
Mr Albanese’s visit to Laos included a trade breakthrough with China. AP
The meeting came after two days of high-level talks at the ASEAN gathering in Laos, with a focus on trade, China’s aggression in the region and the Middle East crisis.
“We are absolutely reliable suppliers,” Mr Albanese told reporters after the meeting with Mr Ishiba.
“Australia has always been a reliable energy partner. The debate that we are having is, what are the new opportunities?”
Japan’s energy producers and buyers have become increasingly worried Australia was de-prioritising its domestic gas industry as federal Labor downplayed it as a transition fuel in the global race to decarbonise.
Australia’s stated preference for renewables such as solar and wind concerned business leaders and the Japanese government, prompting Labor to commit formally to the use of gas “through to 2050 and beyond” in its Future Gas Strategy.
Japan’s hydrogen strategy
Last year, the boss of Japanese-owned Inpex, which operates the Ichthys LNG plant in Western Australia, told MPs in Canberra that Australia risked undermining global energy security if the country quietly quit the international gas trade.
Moves late last year by Labor to legislate a cap on coal and gas prices for 12 months rattled Japanese energy producers and the country’s government.
Japan has no natural energy supplies and has embarked on an ambitious hydrogen strategy to meet its 2030 climate commitments. But an energy shortfall is looming before hydrogen technology is effective enough to replace long-held gas and coal sources.
On another issue, Mr Albanese said Australia would not support Mr Ishiba’s calls for a NATO-style agreement between countries of Asia. He said the proposal was not raised in Laos.
Mr Albanese said he spoke to leaders of the ASEAN and East Asia blocks about the energy transition and Australia’s role in the region.
Friday’s meeting in Vientiane included leaders from China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
The United States will continue to support freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight in the Indo-Pacific.
— Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State
Mr Albanese told leaders the US was concerned about the deteriorating situation in the Middle East, as well as the crisis in Myanmar, North Korean sabre-rattling and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“We remain concerned about China’s increasingly dangerous and unlawful actions in the South and East China Seas, which have injured people and harmed vessels from ASEAN nations, and contradict commitments to peaceful resolution of disputes,” Mr Blinken said.
“The United States will continue to support freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight in the Indo-Pacific. We also believe it’s important to maintain our shared commitment to protect stability across the Taiwan Strait.”
Mr Albanese said Australia continued to raise China’s efforts to control the South China Sea and remained a strong supporter of freedom of navigation exercises in the area.
He did not say if Australia would increase the pace of military activities further. Efforts to stabilise relations with Beijing gained pace with a breakthrough on lobster import restrictions on Thursday.
The federal government believes China’s actions, not public statements, are the true test of relations.
China claims almost the entire sea, antagonising ASEAN members including Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia. About a third of global trade transits through the region.
Invite partners to watch the activities of Pacific Group Co., Ltd.
FanPage: https://www.facebook.com/Pacific-Group
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PacificGroupCoLt
