Julie Bishop: What to expect from Biden administration
Former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has said that President-elect Joe Biden "will be a great friend to Australia" once he is sworn into office on January 20.
Speaking to Today, Ms Bishop said she met Mr Biden numerous times while serving as Foreign Minister.
She says he looks forward to what his presidency holds and predicts Australia and the US will become even closer.
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Julie Bishop told Today she met Joe Biden several times during her stint as Foreign Minister. Supplied
"He's a great friend of Australia, he understands the US-Australia relationship very well," Ms Bishop said.
"My experience is that Joe Biden places particular emphasis on personal relationships and connections, probably more than most world leaders, so it's a real opportunity for us to draw our relationship with the US even closer.
"He's very focused on our part of the world, the Indo-Pacific, while Donald Trump had his moments with Australia, I'm certainly sure that Joe Biden will be a great friend to us."
Julie Bishop said Mr Biden will be a good friend to Australia. Today
Ms Bishop predicted a busy few months ahead as the Biden administration grapples with the fallout for the US Capitol riots, the challenges of the COVID-19 and a tense relationship with China.
She branded the deadly riots in Washington "deeply disturbing".
Rioting supporters of President Donald Trump climb the west wall of the the US Capitol in Washington. AP
"There has to be an investigation. And the perpetrators must be held to account."
Ms Bishop believes Biden's administration will be defined by Obama-era policies.
"He will have his hands full," she said.
Barack Obama, left, and Vice president-elect Joe Biden wave to the crowd at their election night party at Grant Park in Chicago, Tuesday night, November 4, 2008. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder) (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
"I think that the United States is still a very fractured society so I don't believe just by a change of president we will see a resumption of normal relations between those who were ardent Trump supports and the rest of the political system.
"I don't see any major or sudden changes in foreign policy. What we can expect is a continuation of many of the Obama administration policies because of course Joe Biden was the vice president during the Obama years.
"Particularly on China, because he will not want to be seen as soft on China, he will want to continue some of the tough policies. In relation to North Korea, well it's to be seen whether he can establish that relationship with Kim Jong-un that surprisingly Donald Trump was able to do."
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