Anthony Albanese says French resident Emmanuel Macron is entitled to his views, but Australia was committed to the AUKUS security pact.
Mr Albanese, who has patched up relations with France and describes Mr Macron as a friend, said the president was “entitled to put forward his views as he does in a very forthright way”.
“Make no mistake, the comments made are a stinging rebuke of AUKUS itself, not Scott Morrison,” she said. He said his discussions would be fed into the defence strategic review under way. When he visited Mr Macron in France earlier this year, it is believed Mr Macron suggested Australia buy conventional French submarines to fill the capability gap. This is considered highly unlikely.On the sidelines of APEC, a 21-member economic and trade summit, China and Taiwan are jostling for entry in the 11-regional free trade pact, the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership .
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