Australia won’t trade away values to restart China talks, foreign minister says

Marise Payne said she had reached out to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in recent months to restart the dialogue, but he had not responded

She also said the Biden administration has shown it has Australia’s back

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Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne. Photo: AP

Published: 12:19pm, 20 Mar 2021Updated: 12:19pm, 20 Mar 2021

Australia will not trade away important principles and values to restart talks with China, Foreign Minister Marise Payne told The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.

Kurt Campbell, a senior aide to US President Joe Biden came out in support of Australia earlier in the week, telling the Chinese government relations between the two superpowers will not improve until Beijing stops its economic coercion against Australia, one of America’s closest allies in the Asia-Pacific region.

“We have made clear that the US is not prepared to improve relations in a bilateral and separate context at the same time that a close and dear ally is being subjected to a form of economic coercion,” Campbell said.

The Biden administration has shown it has Australia’s back, Payne said in the interview.

She also said she had reached out to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in recent months to restart the dialogue, but he had not responded. Australia would welcome talks at the ministerial or leader level, Payne said.

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