Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among seven world leaders invited to a special dinner hosted by South Korea's president on the sidelines of the APEC summit. The event, held at the Hilton Hotel, was attended by US President Donald Trump, marking their second meeting in a week.
Mr Albanese was seated next to Mr Trump, who praised the Australian leader, saying, 'You've done a fantastic job and we're working together on rare earths, but we're working on a lot of things together, and it's all working out very well.' The two leaders recently signed a $3 billion critical minerals deal in Washington DC, aimed at reducing reliance on China.
Other leaders at the dinner included those from Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand, Vietnam, Canada, and South Korea. Mr Trump entered with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, and they joked about hair, with Mr Luxon noting the South Korean president had previously teased him about his baldness.
The South Korean president's office confirmed that wines from a winery run by Mr Trump's son Eric were served. The dinner was described as a 'special dinner in honour of President Donald J. Trump and state leaders'.
Mr Trump's highly anticipated meeting with China's President Xi Jinping is expected to take place today. Mr Trump said the meeting would last three to four hours and expressed optimism about reaching a satisfactory outcome for both countries.
Mr Trump also mentioned plans to engage with North Korea, stating, 'I know Kim Jong Un very well, and I think things will work out very well.' This comes after North Korea fired sea-to-surface cruise missiles into its western waters, demonstrating its growing military capabilities.
