Australians equally distrust Trump and Xi, survey finds
Australians are equally distrustful of both U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to a new survey, complicating Canberra's task of managing ties with its key security ally and biggest trading partner.
A new survey released by the Lowy Institute think tank in Sydney showed that 72% of respondents said they didn't trust Trump to act responsibly in global affairs, just edging out the 71% who said they didn't trust China's Xi. When asked whether Trump or Xi would be a better partner for Australia, the two leaders were tied at 45% apiece.
The results come as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attends a Group of Seven meeting in Canada, where he could hold his first face-to-face meeting with the U.S. president. Albanese will be hoping to negotiate an exemption on U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs for Australia, as well as trying to secure Trump's support for AUKUS following the announcement in Washington of a review of the security accord.
Albanese's balancing act with Trump is a difficult one. Australians' faith in the U.S. has deteriorated following the president's return to the White House. Trust in America as a global player has fallen to just 36%, by far the lowest result in the Lowy survey's 20-year history.
Yet despite an aversion to Trump, Australians aren't ready to move away from the U.S. as the nation's primary security partner. The survey showed consistent support for the U.S. alliance, with 80% of respondents saying the U.S. was important for Australia's security.
Meanwhile, attitudes toward China have slightly improved, although Beijing is generally considered less reliable than the U.S. across most metrics.
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