Australia and Beijing have a “mature and productive relationship,” according to Foreign Minister Senator Penny Wong, but she cautions that it “doesn’t just happen” and “needs ongoing work.”
Following her meeting with high-ranking Chinese Communist Party (CCP) official Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Canberra today, Ms. Wong said the two had discussed a range of issues, including the recommencement of the bilateral annual leaders meeting.
“The prime minister looks forward to welcoming Premier Li [Qiang] to Australia,” she said, confirming rumours of a visit around June.
“I’m pleased that this is on track and we will be able to maintain engagement on issues including consular cases, defence, and trade, and to expand our work in key areas of importance such as climate and energy cooperation, and enhanced understanding and transparency.”
“I told the foreign minister the Australians were shocked at the sentence imposed, and I made clear to him that the Australian government will continue to advocate on Dr. Yang’s behalf,” the Senator said.
“I also raised our concerns about other Australian death penalty cases.
“I don’t propose to outline every aspect of what we put on Dr. Yang’s behalf in the media, but I would say to you, we will not walk away from our advocacy [for him].”
Other contentious issues raised at the bilateral meeting included human rights and the CCP’s claim to the entirety of the South China Sea.
“As you would expect, I raised Australia’s concerns about human rights included in including in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong,” Senator Wong said.
Vague Meeting Details
The Senator did not give any details about Mr. Wang’s response to these issues.“Obviously, these topics underline that do have important differences,” she admitted, adding, “Dialogue enables us to manage our differences. It doesn’t eliminate them but this government, in the interests of Australia, will always seek to manage those differences wisely.”
When a Chinese TV reporter put to her the proposition that many Chinese people believe the “bottleneck in relations” between the two countries is due to Australia’s “lack of trust in China” Ms. Wong reiterated that the Albanese government sought “a productive and mature relationship with China ... consistent with what Prime Minister [Anthony] Albanese and Premier Li have said.”
“And I think it’s important for us to recognise how much progress we’ve made in a short period of time. We’ve resumed the foreign and strategic dialogue and the annual leaders meeting.
“China will always be China, Australia will always be Australia. However, we want to continue to engage, to cooperate where we can and disagree where we must, and to manage these differences wisely.
The two countries resumed trade talks and economic talks, consulted on defence and climate, commenced technical cooperation on climate-related issues, and worked together to counter narcotics trafficking and transnational crime, she said.
Ms. Wong also confirmed that South Australia will get to keep its two giant pandas.
“There’s further arrangements to be put in place but I think we’re on a good path there to continue panda presence,” she said.
In a statement issued after the meeting concluded, Mr. Wang described the economies of China and Australia as “highly complementary” and as having “great potential.”
He stressed that since relations between the two countries are “on the right track, we must not hesitate, deviate or turn back.”
He also hoped Australia would abide by its commitments regarding Beijing’s sovereignty, dignity, and concerns.
