ExclusiveChina-Australia relations: Canberra ‘should not set preconditions’ for Albanese’s China visit

Name: China and Australia hold high-level talks after 3-year break
Uploaded: 2023-09-07T07:08:29.000Z
Duration: 3 min 33 s
Description: China and Australia hold high-level talks after 3-year break

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese tells Premier Li Qiang in Indonesia that a trip to China is still on the cards, but sources say China does not want the visit to come with demands

Albanese’s visit could take place after his October trip to the US, around the time of a major Chinese expo in November, sources say

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China and Australia hold high-level talks after 3-year break

Kandy Wong

Published: 3:08pm, 7 Sep 2023Updated: 9:20am, 8 Sep 2023

As China and Australia resumed high-level talks on Thursday for the first time in three years, Australia’s prime minister was further greasing the wheels of diplomacy thousands of kilometres away.

At a regional summit in Indonesia, Anthony Albanese met Premier Li Qiang and sources say he reiterated intentions to visit China this year, as the two sides aim to normalise bilateral trade relations that have been strained for more than three years.

But the details, many of which extend beyond the economic sphere, are still being ironed out before Albanese’s long-awaited China trip – four months after Beijing extended him an “in-principle” invite.

While nothing is confirmed, sources tell the Post that Albanese could potentially visit China after a trip to the US in October and around the time of China’s International Import Expo in November – an occasion when Beijing’s policymakers will try to highlight the attractiveness of China’s big market to woo foreign investors.

However, one source said that China’s embassy in Canberra told Australian authorities that “Australia should not set any preconditions from China for Albanese’s visit – for example, trade sanctions being lifted or Cheng Lei’s release”, referring to the Australian journalist detained in China on national security charges.

“Both sides say they have concerns that will be raised during the visit,” the person added, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong met China’s ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, on August 11 in Canberra, and another source said both sides went over their respective concerns, including Australia’s ban on TikTok and WeChat, as well as matters of national security.