Australian PM Anthony Albanese backs G7 on ‘de-risking’ trade with China

Australia has ‘for some time’ expressed concern about China’s activity, Albanese says, pointing to the ‘chafing’ of an Australian aircraft in the South China Sea

Albanese says it is important to work in a way that enhances the peace, security and stability in the region

2-MIN READ2-MIN

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (right) with US President Joe Biden during a Quad meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Hiroshima on Saturday. Photo: Pool/AFP

Published: 12:00pm, 21 May 2023

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday that he backed a Group of Seven (G7) joint statement out of Japan stressing the need to ease reliance on trade with China.

The G7 rich nations, which increasingly see China as an economic security threat, on Saturday issued a communique from the city of Hiroshima that referred to de-risking, not decoupling economic engagement with the world’s second largest economy.

Addressing media in Hiroshima, Albanese, who attended a Quad leaders’ meeting on the sidelines of the summit on Saturday, said according to an official transcript: “I support the G7 communiques about the international relations that we have there.”

Albanese said Australia had “for some time” expressed concern about China’s activity, pointing to the “chafing” of an Australian aircraft.

In May 2022, a Chinese fighter aircraft dangerously intercepted an Australian military plane in the South China Sea region, according to Australia’s defence department.

“We’ve expressed concern in the past, we’ll continue to do so,” Albanese said.

“What we need to do is to make sure we work in a way that enhances the peace, security and stability in the region.”