Australia’s Albanese to ask Xi Jinping to lift China trade sanctions if they meet at G20 or Apec summit
- Anthony Albanese said Beijing removing billions of dollars in trade barriers was the first priority in returning to normal ties that have have plummeted in recent years
- He added Australia has ‘strategic competition in the region’ with China, saying the world’s second-largest economy is ‘much more forward-leaning than it was in the past’
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Albanese said a meeting with Xi was “not locked in at this point in time.” But China lifting economic sanctions was the first priority in returning to normal relations, he said.
“They’re not in Australia’s interests, of the wine industry, the meat industry and other industries where sanctions have been placed on. But it’s also not in the interests of China,” Albanese told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“This is a counterproductive measure,” Albanese added.
Asked what China wanted from Australia to improve relations, Albanese replied: “It’s not up to me to put forward their case.”
“What I want to see with the relationship with China is cooperation where we … maintain our Australian values where we must,” Albanese said.
China’s ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian said in August that Beijing would discuss with Canberra whether conditions were right in November for Albanese to meet Xi during the G20 summit. Xi is not expected to attend the East Asia summit.
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Albanese said Australia has “strategic competition in the region” with China.
“China, of course, has changed its position. And it is much more forward-leaning than it was in the past,” Albanese said.
“That has caused tensions in the relationship, and we need to acknowledge that that’s the context in which the relationship exists,” he added.