Rudd returned to Canberra Sunday after an 18-day trip taking in China, the United States and Europe which has been described as a “global victory lap” following the center-left leader’s landslide election win last November.

It was a chance for Rudd, who was widely regarded as a nerdish foreign policy buff before he became Labor Party leader in late 2006, to display the skills he honed as a diplomat in Beijing and Stockholm early in his career.

He forged a warm relationship with U.S. President George W. Bush on the trip despite their ideological differences and opposing views on Iraq, with the U.S. leader describing him as a “straightforward fellow.”

Rudd also set aside his republican beliefs to take tea with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. But by far the thorniest issue confronting Rudd, an avowed Sinophile, was how to deal with China’s crackdown on protesters in Tibet when he visited Beijing on the last leg of his trip.

He surprised many by tackling the issue head-on in a speech delivered in flawless Mandarin at Beijing University last Wednesday, telling his audience “there are significant human rights problems in Tibet.”

“The current situation in Tibet is of concern to Australians. We recognize the need for all parties to avoid violence and find a solution through dialogue,” he said.

He then followed up by urging Premier Wen Jiabao to open discussions with the Dalai Lama at a meeting the next day, a proposal vehemently opposed by the Chinese, who see the Tibetan spiritual leader as a troublesome separatist.

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