Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s bilateral meetings with China have resulted in a breakthrough, with Premier Li Qiang announcing the resumption of annual meetings between the two countries.
The Prime Minister described Mr Albanese as “an old friend” when he welcomed him to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
A military band played the Chinese and Australian national anthems during the ceremony, while 144 soldiers stood at attention with bayonets at their sides.
The dialogue Mr Li refers to began during the Gillard-Rudd years, but fizzled.
The Prime Minister described Mr Albanese as “an old friend” when he welcomed him to the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
This meeting between Chinese leaders and Mr. Albanese marks the first visit by an Australian Prime Minister to China since 2016.
President Xi Jinping praised the prime minister’s efforts to restore relations between the two nations, which have deteriorated in recent years.
“Since taking office, you have worked to stabilize and improve relations with China. This shows the great importance you attach to relations with China,” he said.
“Now, China-Australia relations are on the right path of improvement and development. I am heartened to see that a healthy and stable China-Australia relationship serves the common interests of our two countries.
A military band played the Chinese and Australian national anthems during the ceremony, while 144 soldiers stood at attention with bayonets at their sides.
This meeting between Chinese leaders and Mr. Albanese marks the first visit by an Australian Prime Minister to China since 2016.
Mr Xi flashed a rare smile and gave a warm handshake as he greeted Mr Albanese earlier in the day.
The Chinese leader said Beijing and Canberra had “resolved some issues”, referring to points of contention such as human rights, escalating threats against Taiwan and trade bans on Australian exports from a worth $20 billion at their peak.
Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said relations with China were in a better place than they were a year ago.
“The Prime Minister attended this meeting not necessarily expecting to return with a bag of goodies, but… significant successes have been brought to Australia in the form of new exports and jobs for Australians” , he told ABC radio.
“We would always look to get the most out of any possible market, and China, even with these obstacles, has remained Australia’s largest agricultural market over the last few years.”
