https://www.scmp.com/rss/514552/feed Michelle Grattan is a professorial fellow at the University of Canberra. She is also Associate Editor (Politics) and Chief Political Correspondent at The Conversation. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com The defrost in relations between China and Australia started cautiously after Canberra’s change of federal government last year. It then sped up, culminating in the announcement last weekend of the much-anticipated visit by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to China. The bilateral relationship appears to be heading back to room temperature fast. During Albanese’s visit from November 4 to 7, he will hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, and also attend the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3239327/australias-albanese-will-visit-beijing-wine-tariffs-thawing-ties-front-mind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3239327/australias-albanese-will-visit-beijing-wine-tariffs-thawing-ties-front-mind?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Oct 2023 06:00:10 +0000 Anthony Albanese only became Australia’s prime minister in May last year but has already had very extensive contact with US President Joe Biden. According to the prime minister’s office, Albanese has had four formal meetings with him, plus two Quad (US, Japan, Australia and India) meetings, and several other less formal discussions. They were due to rub shoulders again over the weekend, at the G20 in India, and Biden will also host Albanese for a state visit to Washington next month. The... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3233940/can-australia-persuade-us-drop-bid-extradite-wikileaks-founder-assange?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3233940/can-australia-persuade-us-drop-bid-extradite-wikileaks-founder-assange?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Sep 2023 21:00:14 +0000 In appointing Kevin Rudd as ambassador to the United States, Anthony Albanese is sending someone with all the qualifications, and more, for what is a highly demanding diplomatic job in extremely uncertain times. Twice prime minister, and a former foreign minister, Rudd has the special advantage of being a leading authority not just on China but on that country’s leader, when China’s assertiveness is the biggest story in our region. This year he received a doctorate from Oxford for a thesis on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3204304/australias-rudd-well-qualified-envoy-us-may-find-diplomatic-life-constricting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3204304/australias-rudd-well-qualified-envoy-us-may-find-diplomatic-life-constricting?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Dec 2022 16:00:12 +0000