Key Points
- Anthony Albanese has met Chinese Premier Li Qiang for talks on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Jakarta.
- Albanese said the meeting was important following a lengthy diplomatic freeze in recent years.
- China remains Australia’s biggest trading partner, despite China placing tariffs on certain Australian exports.
While the Chinese President Xi Jinping is a no-show at summit season events this year, the Australian Prime Minister has secured a meeting with Premier Li Qiang on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit in Jakarta.
Anthony Albanese said the meeting was important to take the relationship forward between the two countries after a lengthy diplomatic freeze, adding that he'd had a "frank and constructive" discussion with China's Premier.
"Australia seeks to work towards productive and stable relations with China based on mutual benefit and respect," Albanese told reporters.
"The co-operation and engagement between our two countries is always improved when there is dialogue when there's discussion. That's how you get mutual agreement."
"Both sides stand to benefit from improving our relations," he said in opening remarks to the meeting.
A trip to Beijing on the cards for Albanese
Following talks with the Chinese premier today, Li said Albanese was welcome to visit Beijing "within the year".
It looks as if Albanese will take up the invitation.
"I look forward to visiting China later this year to mark the 50th anniversary of prime minister (Gough) Whitlam’s historic visit," the Prime Minister said following the talks.
The last Australian leader to visit China was former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull in 2016.
Albanese has been considering whether to , after breaking the ice with President Xi at last year’s G20 summit on the Indonesia resort island of Bali.
The Chinese premier said in his opening remarks today that, thanks to the "concerted efforts of both sides", there had been positive momentum in the relationship since that meeting.
He added that the improvement in relations was "welcomed by all sectors of both countries and the international community".
The turbulent Chinese-Australian trade relationship
While the federal government has laid out a strategy to seize on lucrative growing trade opportunities in Southeast Asia during this Jakarta visit, China remains Australia’s biggest trading partner.
On Wednesday, Albanese said Australia was “working through some of the issues” after China placed trade tariffs on Australian agricultural products and imports such as coal.
Those sanctions were first imposed under the former Coalition government in 2020, as tensions grew over Australia’s leading role in calling for an inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the Bali talks, China gradually relaxed a series of trade barriers including those on coal, beef, barley and lobsters, though the wine industry is still facing significant challenges to market access.
“My position on the relationship with China remains a consistent one, we’ll cooperate where we can, we’ll disagree where we must and we’ll engage in our national interest,” Albanese said.
"A stable and constructive relationship where we can realise the potential of our comprehensive strategic partnership is an interest that we both share," Albanese said.
"The progress we've made in resuming unimpeded trade is good for both countries and we want to see that progress continued."
While the diplomatic approach the Prime Minister has taken appears to have improved the relationship, the government continues to raise human rights concerns about the treatment of who are both in detained in China.
Following the meeting with Li, Albanese said he had raised "consular cases and human rights" issues. They discussed five Australians being detained in China, including journalist Cheng Lei, according to AAP.
What else is happening at the East Asia Summit?
While in Jakarta, Albanese will also hold bilateral talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who is hosting the ASEAN and East Asia Summits.
Both leaders will also take part in the ASEAN-Australia Summit and will co-chair the event.
The East Asia Summit will involve leaders from all 10 ASEAN nations, along with the US, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and India.
Albanese will also be looking to boost trade ties with Southeast Asian nations following the release of a new economic strategy for the region to 2040 on Wednesday.
The strategy, which had 75 recommendations, called for greater investment in the region, with Southeast Asia set to be the world's fourth-largest economy by 2040.
The Prime Minister said the opportunity for trade within the area was enormous.
"This strategy makes very clear that Australia's economic future is right here in Southeast Asia," he told a business event in Jakarta.
"My government will take some time to properly consider the strategies … one area we're particularly interested in is Southeast Asia's energy security and clean energy transition."
Albanese will then fly out of Indonesia on Thursday for the Philippines, ahead of bilateral talks with its President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, before flying to India for the G20 summit.
- With AAP
