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