Emmanuel Macron is visiting Australia — will Malcolm Turnbull ask for tips on how to handle Donald Trump?
Updated
They are separated by thousands of kilometres and a generation, but when French President Emmanuel Macron is welcomed to Sydney by Malcolm Turnbull later today, it will be the many common causes, not the few differences, that will be on show.
Fresh from his trip to the US, Mr Macron seemingly achieved the impossible — receiving a warm welcome from President Donald Trump, while at the same time slamming his world view and many of his policies.
It was time for multilateral action to solve world issues. Now was not the moment to abandon Syria. There is no planet B (a dig at Mr Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate talks) and isolationism harms everyone.
Yet for all the unabashed swipes Mr Macron took at Mr Trump's cherished ideals, the odd bromance appeared unshakable with the US President even concerned enough about his guest's appearance to brush off the French leader's dandruff in front of the cameras.
You can be pretty certain Malcolm Turnbull will not be preening his guest, but he may ask for a couple of tips on how best to cultivate and influence Mr Trump.
What's on the agenda
During his two days in Sydney, Mr Macron will have serious talks on trade, defence and shared strategic goals, especially where China is concerned.
While Australia has long regarded the Pacific as its backyard, France too has a strong stake in the region with New Caledonia and French Polynesia.
There will no doubt be discussions on the Chinese push into the Pacific and how to deal with Beijing's growing influence with the small island nations.
Also likely on the agenda is the controversial Chinese claim to the South China Sea and its militarisation of islands in that vast region.
Not entirely unrelated, the French leader will also be keen to talk up the future submarines project, a $50 billion deal with France to build our next generation of submarines.
This is by far the biggest single transaction between the two nations and will enmesh our countries defence establishments for decades to come.
Mr Turnbull will be nudging this rising European Union star towards a free trade agreement with that huge bloc.
Mr Macron has grown in regional and international stature at the same time that German Chancellor Angela Merkel's EU leadership appears to be weakening.
He is the man of the moment — youthful, energetic and able to connect with people of like and very unlike minds.
Only the second French visit
There will be little the President and our Prime Minister will have to argue about, save the evergreen dispute over EU agricultural subsidies.
During his recent visit to Europe, Mr Turnbull was keen to support EU rules-based trade and strong NATO security.
It's only the second visit by a French president to our shores which, but for a twist of fate, may well have become a French rather than British colony.
And in this 100th year of the end of World War I, the bonds of shared suffering and sacrifice are being remembered by both nations.
The carnage in the trenches has not been forgotten by either country.
Mr Turnbull was given a warm welcome to the Elysee Palace last year.
That favour is about to be returned.
Topics: world-politics, government-and-politics, turnbull-malcolm, australia, france
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