Australian PM Albanese meets Chinese President Xi in Beijing

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Australian PM Albanese meets Chinese President Xi in Beijing

Australian PM Albanese meets Chinese President Xi in Beijing

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China on Tuesday. Photo by Lukas Coch/EPA

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with Chinese President Xi Jinping Tuesday in Beijing as part of a nearly week-long trip intended to strengthen ties between the two nations.

“Australia’s relationship with China is important,” said Albanese in an X post Tuesday. “For our economy, our security, and the stability of our region.”

In a joint press conference, President Xi said Tuesday that “with joint efforts from both sides, the China-Australia relationship has rose from the setback and turned around, bringing tangible benefits to the Chinese and Australian peoples.”

Xi was not specific about what that “setback” was, as the two nations have had strained moments over the past several years, such as issues related to the Chinese company that operates Australia’s Port of Darwin, trade sanctions levied against Canberra starting in 2020 and a live fire exercise held by the Chinese navy off Australia’s east coast earlier this year, among others.

“The Chinese side is ready to work with the Australian side to push the bilateral relationship further and make greater progress so as to bring better benefits to our two peoples,” said Xi before ceding the floor to Albanese.

“Australia values our relationship with China and will continue to approach it in a calm and consistent manner, guided by our national interest, which we regard very much as the relationship being positive, which is just that,” Albanese said. “It is in our national interest, and indeed in the interest of the region as well.”

He also took part in a CEO roundtable Tuesday, which focused on developing business relationships and growth opportunities.

“Free and open trade is good for both the Australian and Chinese economies, businesses and people,” said Albanese in another X post Tuesday.

Albanese, along with a delegation of Australian businesspeople, first arrived in Shanghai on Saturday to firm a variety of ways the two countries can economically help each other.

“One in four of Australian jobs is dependent upon our exports and overwhelmingly by far the largest destination for Australian exports is right here in China,” he said Sunday.

Albanese is next slated to visit the city of Chengdu on Wednesday to focus on ties between Australia and China in regard to sports and medical technology and will also pay a visit to the Great Wall.

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