Biden to new Australia PM: You can 'fall asleep' now

JAPAN: Wishing a newly elected fellow world leader good luck is one thing, but US President Joe Biden also wants Australia’s Anthony Albanese to have a good night.

Meeting at the Quad summit in Tokyo – the loose grouping of Australia, India, Japan and the United States – Biden expressed admiration that Albanese made the long flight right after winning his election as Prime Minister.

“I welcome you to your first Quad meeting,” said Biden, who had to make an even longer journey from Washington for his first Presidential Asia trip, starting in South Korea before hopping to Japan.

“Like I said, you got on a plane – you were sworn in and got on a plane,” Biden said.

So “if you fall asleep while you’re here, it’s OK, because I don’t know how you’re doing it. It’s really quite extraordinary – just getting off the campaign trail as well.” After the Quad summit, Biden and Albanese are due to hold separate bilateral talks.

Biden will also meet separately with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while Albanese is to hold talks with Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

– THE MALAY MAIL