China and Australia restart annual meetings
(Baonghean.vn) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on November 7, resuming the annual dialogue between leaders that Mr. Albanese said would continue when relations between these trading partners are stable.
Prime Minister Albanese is travelling to China on the first visit by an Australian leader in seven years, after a diplomatic row halted what used to be annual meetings between the two countries' leaders.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said on November 6 that stable relations between his country and Australia served each other's interests and both should expand cooperation, sending a clear signal that China was ready to overcome recent tensions.
“It is very important for our relationship that these meetings continue,” Mr Albanese told Mr Li Qiang in opening remarks at China’s Great Hall of the People.
China has lifted trade barriers on most Australian exports, which were imposed in 2020 after Australia called for an international inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Albanese said the two sides would discuss “the full resumption of free and unimpeded trade between our two countries”, as well as “ways to shape a peaceful, stable and prosperous regional and global order”.
Among the disagreements between the two countries is Beijing's show of force among Pacific island nations, while Australia's security alliance with the US and UK in the Indo-Pacific region has raised concerns in China.
On November 6, Mr. Xi Jinping warned in a meeting with Mr. Albanese about "bloc politics."
China is "willing to carry out more trilateral and multilateral cooperation with Australia to support South Pacific countries in enhancing development resilience, addressing climate change and other challenges," Xi said.
“Cooperation and dialogue”
Prime Minister Albanese will leave China for the Cook Islands on November 7 to attend the Pacific Islands Forum, an annual meeting of leaders from a region where the US and its allies are increasingly competing for influence with China.
Mr Albanese, speaking before Mr Lee, stressed the importance of managing competition. “Where there is geostrategic competition, we all have to manage it carefully, through dialogue and through understanding,” he said.
In a statement after the meeting, Mr Albanese did not mention key differences with China - including tensions in the South China Sea and the AUKUS defence technology partnership with the US and UK to sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia.
The Australian Prime Minister said he used the four-day visit to advocate for Australia's interests on trade, human rights, regional and global issues.
“Despite our differences, both Australia and China benefit from cooperation and dialogue,” Prime Minister Albanese said.
Australia and China have agreed to cooperate on trade, climate change and agriculture, the Australian government said in a statement.
China's imports from Australia rose 12 percent year-on-year in October to $11.96 billion, accelerating from a 4.9 percent increase in September, Chinese customs data showed on November 7.
From January to October, China's imports increased 8.4% to $128.76 billion. Last year, imports from Australia increased 12.7% to $142.1 billion.
