A ustralia's leader Anthony Albanese will visit China and meet with President Xi Jinping this weekend as he seeks to strengthen ties with Canberra's largest trading partner. Regional security and trade will take centre stage during the prime minister's six-day trip spanning three cities - Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu.

There is uncertainty about who is calling the shots at the heart of the Trump administration. That presents risk, and opportunity, for allies like Australia.

Greek Australian politician Nick Adams, now a US citizen, has been nominated by Trump to be the next US ambassador to Malaysia.

Donald Trump says he plans to increase blanket tariffs to 15 or 20 per cent on goods imported by the United States' trading partners. But it appears 'tariff fatigue' is setting in as the Australian dollar and share market largely ignore the US President's latest remarks.

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia is “urgently seeking more detail” on U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to raise tariffs up to 200% on pharmaceutical imports, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said on Wednesday.

The US is Australia’s biggest export market for pharmaceuticals. If the tariffs go ahead, manufacturing could suffer.

Australia’s total beef exports to the US rose significantly in June in the face of President Donald Trump’s new tariff regime, which saw the American leader specifically single out Canberra for refusing to accept adequate red meat imports.

Australia is distancing itself from the United States in Southeast Asia amid a flurry of tariffs and aid cuts, pledging "we are here for the long haul".

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met counterparts in Southeast Asia on Thursday during his first visit to Asia since taking office, seeking to reassure them the region is a U.S. priority despite President Donald Trump's tariff offensive.