CANBERRA, Australia: Anthony Albanese is set to make history by becoming the first Australian prime minister in seven years to embark on a visit to China. This move symbolizes the notable improvement in bilateral relations between the two nations, despite lingering unresolved trade and security disputes that had previously pushed relations to unprecedented lows.
The election of Albanese’s center-left government last year marked a pivotal moment, ending nine years of conservative rule and providing an opportunity for a fresh start. His upcoming three-day journey, scheduled to commence this Saturday, will see him travelling to both Shanghai and Beijing, although specific details about his itinerary remain limited.
Since 2016, when Chinese leader Xi Jinping held two meetings with an Australian prime minister within a span of six months, China had severed high-level ministerial contacts. During this time, both official and unofficial trade sanctions had piled up, resulting in substantial losses for Australian exporters, estimated at up to 20 billion Australian dollars ($13 billion) annually. These sanctions impacted various commodities, including coal, wine, beef, barley, and lobsters, underscoring the growing intertwining of business and politics in the relationship between the two countries.
However, many argue that the trade boycott inflicted economic harm on China, which was already facing economic challenges, while Australia displayed no inclination to yield to Beijing’s pressures.
Albanese emphasized the importance of fostering positive relations with China, stating to reporters last month when he announced the trip, “It’s in Australia’s best interest to maintain cordial ties with China.”
Yet, Albanese’s government is simultaneously strengthening its security partnerships with the United States, most notably through the AUKUS agreement, which involves Britain and will provide Australia with a fleet of submarines powered by U.S. nuclear technology.
Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University of China in Beijing, expressed the Chinese desire to mend trade relations following what he deemed a largely ineffective de facto boycott.
Shi, however, pointed out that not all trade barriers had been lifted, even though Australia is optimistic that crippling tariffs on wine will be eliminated within a few months. The wine trade previously amounted to AU$1.2 billion ($771 million) annually.
Australia still engages in actions that China perceives as deserving of punishment, Shi remarked.
Australia first incurred China’s disapproval in 2018 with actions that were interpreted as framing China as a security threat. The Australian Parliament passed national security legislation that prohibited covert foreign interference in domestic politics and criminalized industrial espionage on behalf of a foreign power. Two months later, the government barred the Chinese-owned telecommunications giant Huawei from deploying its 5G network in Australia due to unspecified security concerns.
The Chinese trade restrictions followed the Australian government’s call for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19 and China’s responses to the pandemic. China accused Australia, along with the U.S. and others, of “politicizing” the issue.
Albanese maintained that he had not made any concessions to China in pursuit of more stable relations. He cited, as evidence, the recent release of Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who had been detained in China for three years on charges related to state secrets.
