SYDNEY: China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi concluded his visit to Australia with a significant meeting at the Chinese consulate in Sydney, hosting former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating.
The hour-long meeting touched upon various topics, including geostrategic balances, Australia-China relations, and China’s urban development.
Keating, known for advocating deeper ties with Beijing during his tenure, described the discussion as productive and emphasized Wang’s positive outlook on bilateral relations. Wang expressed encouragement for Australia’s integration with East Asia and emphasized the importance of stability between the two nations.
Despite efforts to portray the meeting as routine, tensions persisted over issues such as the detention of an Australian prisoner in China, trade disputes, and human rights concerns in Hong Kong.
While Australia’s center-left government downplayed the significance of the meeting, conservative opposition members criticized it as a “calculated humiliation” by China.
In addition to the meeting with Keating, Wang engaged in a private roundtable discussion with business leaders and academics, underscoring China’s interest in fostering closer economic and academic ties with Australia.
