PM Anthony Albanese of Australia seeks collaboration and communication during a visit to China

Anthony Albanese

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is on his first visit to China as a leader in seven years, said on Sunday that it is in all of our interests to have a bilateral relationship based on communication and cooperation.

Australia would continue to engage constructively with China, he said in a brief statement at the annual China International Import Expo, which Premier Li Qiang opened.

Albanese is the first Australian leader to visit China since 2016, as part of an effort to repair ties that have deteriorated over the years owing to disagreements over Chinese telecoms firm Huawei, espionage, and COVID-19.

Albanese hailed the two countries’ relationship as mature and energized by the complementary nature of our economies in his remarks.

Albanese stated, “Along with the other economies in our region, Australia and China have prospered thanks to the certainty and stability made possible by rules-based trade”.

Since taking office last year, Albanese’s government has moved to improve relations with China, and China has withdrawn most trade restrictions imposed in a 2020 diplomatic spat that lost A$20 billion in commodity and food exports.

“We continue to place a high value on the World Trade Organization, whose role as an independent and respected umpire benefits us all”, Albanese added, without identifying any specific conflicts.

PM Anthony Albanese will meet President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Monday, where he is expected to express alarm over escalating tensions in the South China Sea.

When Albanese arrived in Shanghai late Saturday, he stated that it was in Australia’s best interests to have a positive and constructive engagement with its largest trading partner.

Before departing for China on Saturday, Albanese stated that the much-anticipated visit to meet with Xi and Li was a very positive step in repairing frayed bilateral ties.

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Spriha Rai