Australian PM warns China to learn from Russia’s ‘strategic failure’ in Ukraine

The war had brought democratic nations together and ‘shown attempts to impose change by force on a sovereign country meet resistance’, Anthony Albanese said

He made the remarks while en route to Spain for a meeting of Nato leaders that Japan, South Korea and New Zealand are also set to attend

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to the media after arriving in Spain for the Nato Leaders’ Summit. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 3:31pm, 28 Jun 2022

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has warned the Chinese government to learn the lessons of Russia’s “strategic failure” in Ukraine, as he heads to Europe for a meeting of Nato leaders.

In an interview with the Australian Financial Review, conducted en route to Spain for the Nato meeting, Albanese said the Ukraine invasion had brought democratic nations together, “whether they be members of Nato, or non-members such as Australia”.

When asked what message the Chinese government should take from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Albanese said the war “had shown attempts to impose change by force on a sovereign country meet resistance”.

Albanese’s latest comments come at a time when Australia and China are tentatively exploring restarting diplomatic engagement under his centre-left government, which was sworn in just over a month ago after winning a May election.

However there are still a large number of points of diplomatic tension between the countries, including Beijing’s growing presence in the Pacific, punitive measures placed by China on Australian exports and the detention of two prominent Chinese Australians.