Australian prime minister optimistic about chances for resolution to trade row between US and China

Donald Trump has told Scott Morrison he has done “a fantastic job in a very short period of time” as prime minister.

The US president met the Australian prime minister at the G20 summit in Argentina and the leaders spoke about trade in their first ever meeting.

“Just getting to know each other and so far so good, I think it’s going to be a great relationship,” Trump said in the meeting in Buenos Aires.

“I know you’ve done a fantastic job in a very short period of time.

“You’ve done a lot of the things that they’ve wanted over there and that’s why you’re sitting right here.”

Morrison said Australia and the US “have always been the greatest of friends”.

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“Not just in various strategic co-operation but economically, and the people-to-people relationships, well, there’s none better,” he said.

The pair discussed trade, co-operation in the Pacific, and the security situations in Iran and North Korea.

The meeting between the two – known in diplomatic terms as a “pull aside” – followed a meeting between Trump and prime ministers of Japan and India on the sidelines of the summit. The two leaders were seated in chairs next to each other and there were no formal delegations arranged on either side.

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Morrison also met French president Emmanuel Macron to discuss the navy submarine contract, reforming the WTO and co-operation in the Indo-Pacific region.

The G20 started with a group photo and a warm handshake between Russian president Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammad bin Salman, who is accused of ordering the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The summit is focused on trade, but all eyes are on Trump’s meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping, which will be held on Saturday night local time.

The two superpowers have been fighting a trade war, which is threatening to hurt the global economy as billions of dollars of tariffs have been slapped on products.

World leaders meet at G20 summit – in pictures Read more

But Morrison was “optimistic” about the chance for a resolution.

“I believe that both China and the United States are very keen to see a more open trading environment around the world, more trade all across the world and particularly between their two nations and we all benefit from that,” he said.

“Australia has always been a successful trading nation and that’s how we will continue to ensure the prosperity for our people,” Morrison told reporters after landing in Buenos Aires on Friday morning.

“It’s not just for our people, all of the G20 nations have benefited so significantly by their exchanges and trade with each other.”

The G20 includes Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States and the European Union.