AUKUS, critical minerals in focus for Australian PM on US trip

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will seek progress on the AUKUS defence technology partnership and critical mineral supply chains during a visit to Washington next week, as Canberra tries to reduce its long-term trade exposure to China.
In comments to parliament before his Sunday departure, Albanese said the AUKUS partnership, to transfer U.S. and British nuclear submarine technology to Australia, was crucial to the future of the U.S. alliance.
He also flagged announcements on critical minerals, clean energy transformation, and an economic deal.
Peter Dean, director of foreign policy and defence at the United States Studies Centre in Sydney, said greater collaboration between the U.S. and Australia in critical technologies was likely to be a focus in Washington, delivering swifter results than the ambitious plan to build nuclear-powered submarines in Australia by 2040.
The AUKUS pact faces hurdles in the U.S. Congress, and from U.S. export controls that could slow its implementation, much to the frustration of Australian officials.