Australian PM begins China visit with focus on trade

On Sunday, Albanese met with Shanghai Party Secretary Chen Jining, the first in a series of high-level meetings scheduled during the visit. He is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and Zhao Leji, Chairman of the National People’s Congress.

Speaking to Chinese state broadcaster CGTN upon arrival in Shanghai on Saturday, Albanese said he was leading “a very large business delegation” to China, reflecting the significance of economic relations between the two nations.

During his weeklong trip, Albanese is expected to engage with business, tourism, and sports representatives in Shanghai and Chengdu. His itinerary also includes a CEO roundtable in Beijing on Tuesday, according to his office.

This marks Albanese’s second visit to China since his center-left Labor Party came to power in 2022. The party was reelected in May with an increased majority.

Since taking office, Albanese has successfully lobbied Beijing to lift a range of official and unofficial trade barriers imposed during the previous conservative administration. Those restrictions had cost Australian exporters more than 20 billion Australian dollars (approximately US$13 billion) annually.

Diplomatic tensions under the former government arose from Australia’s calls for an independent investigation into the origins and response to COVID-19. Although Albanese has prioritized repairing ties, he also emphasized the need to reduce Australia’s economic reliance on China, a key free trade partner.

“My government has worked very hard to diversify trade … and to increase our relationships with other countries in the region, including India and Indonesia and the ASEAN countries,” Albanese said ahead of the visit, referring to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, reports UNB. 

“But the relationship with China is an important one, as is our relationships when it comes to exports with the north Asian economies of South Korea and Japan,” he added.

In an editorial published Sunday, China’s official Xinhua News Agency described the bilateral relationship as “steadily improving” and gaining “fresh momentum.” The editorial stated, “There are no fundamental conflicts of interest between China and Australia. By managing differences through mutual respect and focusing on shared interests, the two sides can achieve common prosperity and benefit.”