Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will visit China in November to meet with President Xi Jinping, as the two countries seek to repair their strained relationship. This follows China’s agreement to suspend a World Trade Organization dispute over Australian wine tariffs.
Australia’s Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, will visit China in early November to meet President Xi Jinping, marking the first trip by an Australian Prime Minister to China since 2016. The visit comes as the two countries work to repair their once-frosty relationship. The trip was locked in after China agreed to suspend a World Trade Organization dispute caused by tariffs on Australian wine. This follows the release of Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who was deported from China after being detained on politically motivated espionage charges for three years.
China had placed tariffs on key Australian exports, such as barley, beef, and wine, in 2020 during a bitter dispute with Australia’s former conservative government. It also halted imports of significant commodities like coal. However, since Australia’s center-left government took office in May 2022, there has been progress in softening tensions. China has dropped tariffs on Australian barley, lifted an import ban on Australian timber, and agreed to resume receiving coal shipments. Over the next few months, China will conduct an expedited review of its tariffs on Australian wine.
The release of Cheng Lei and the improvement in trade relations indicate a more pragmatic diplomatic approach by Chinese President Xi. Recent economic data suggests that China’s post-COVID recovery is slowing, putting pressure on its trade relationships. During a meeting with Albanese in 2022, President Xi expressed the desire for relations with Australia to improve. Albanese sees the upcoming visit as an important step towards ensuring a stable and productive relationship between the two countries.
Source : Australian Prime Minister to Visit China in November, Meet Xi
