Trump to host Australian PM for official dinner

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has accepted an invitation to a state dinner with US President Donald Trump.

Morrison confirmed that he will be hosted by Trump at the White House in September, the first time an Australian leader has shared a formal state dinner with a US President since 2006, reported Xinhua news agency.

Making the announcement Morrison spoke glowingly of Trump and said that the relationship between Australia and the US is stronger than it has ever been.

"He's a strong leader who says what he's going to do and then goes and does it," he told reporters on Saturday.

"He has demonstrated a real keen interest in and knowledge of Australia and the relationship that extends back particularly more than a century, in terms of the engagement of our armed forces and their armed services."

Morrison and Trump's political careers have both been built on strong opposition to illegal immigration.

During his time as Australia's Minister for Immigration and Border Protection between 2013 and 2014 Morrison was the architect of Operation Sovereign Borders - Australia's military-led border protection operation.

In a post on Twitter late in June Trump praised Australia's stance on illegal immigration, declaring that "much can be learned." IANS