Chinese President Xi Jinping and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese held talks in Beijing on Tuesday, seeking to deepen trade ties despite differences over regional security and human rights, Chinese and Australian media reported.
Xi told Albanese that China-Australia relations had “turned around,” referring to a turbulent 2020-22 period when relations between the two countries hit troubled waters, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
Ties between the two countries had “risen from that deadlock and turned around,” bringing “tangible benefits” to both peoples, Xi said.
He said the progress showed the importance of “commitment to equal treatment” and “seeking common ground while respecting differences.”
The reference to “equal treatment” could be seen as a reference to Beijing’s repeated complaints about Canberra’s restrictions on Chinese investment or the federal government’s move to take away the port of Darwin from Chinese company Landbridge.
It could also be a veiled reference to US President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day tariffs”.
Seeking common ground while putting aside differences is in line with the “fundamental interests of our two countries and our two peoples”, Xi added.
Noting that the China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership has entered its second decade, Xi said China is ready to work with Australia to further advance their relationship for healthy development that will bring greater benefits to the two peoples, Beijing’s Xinhua News reported.
“The most important insight this gives us is that treating each other as equals, seeking common ground while putting aside differences and engaging in mutually beneficial cooperation serve the fundamental interests of both China and Australia and the two peoples,” Xi said.
In turn, Albanese, who is on a seven-day trip to China, told Xi that dialogue must be “at the heart of our relationship” and that it would help both countries “maintain peace, security, stability and prosperity in our region.” This is Albanese’s second visit to China since his center-left Labour government was first elected in 2022. The party was re-elected in May with a landslide victory, AA writes.
