Albanese’s Trip to China Yields No “Back to the Future” Experience
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese won’t back China’s push to join a trans-Pacific free trade agreement, as Beijing hosts talks to stabilise the relationship.
Mr. Albanese will be the first Australian leader to visit China since 2016.
The talks also mark the 50th anniversary of Gough Whitlam’s landmark visit in 1973, when he became the first Australian prime minister to visit China.
Despite what officials have described as “patient, calibrated, deliberate” action to steer the relationship towards the high-level talks in Beijing, there will be no “back to the future” return for relations before the cracks began emerging.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping is expected to lobby the prime minister for Australia’s support for his country’s bid to join the 12-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
China regards the relationship with Canberra as being at the forefront of its relations with developed countries.
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But it also believes its application to join the Trans-Pacific trade bloc is crucial to upgrading economic co-operation between the two nations.
But Mr. Albanese will reaffirm Australia’s position, that the bloc has the highest standards for entry and will need the unanimous support of member nations to allow new countries in.
The prime minister will focus on reinvigorating the bilateral China-Australia free trade agreement, resolving trade bans imposed on Australian exports, as well as future dispute resolution.
The official visit will include a grand ceremonial welcome at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Mr. Albanese will meet with Mr. Xi at the Great Hall on Nov. 7.
The following day, he will return to the venue to be hosted by Premier Li Qiang.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong will accompany Mr. Albanese.
The prime minister will raise the case of detained Australian writer Yang Hengjun with Mr. Xi, along with the South China Sea and the importance of regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.
Kicking off the three-day visit, Mr. Albanese on Nov. 5 morning will attend the opening of the China International Import Expo trade fair in Shanghai.
More than 200 Australian companies will be represented at the event, with Mr. Albanese expected to visit the stalls of Australian businesses in the agriculture sector.
Trade Minister Don Farrell will accompany the prime minister at the event, and will likely meet with his Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao.
At the height of a diplomatic spat in 2020, Beijing imposed trade bans worth $20 billion (US$12.9 billion) on Australian products.
The government has managed to whittle those tariffs down to about $2 billion (US$1.3 billion) since winning power in 2022.
China lifted tariffs off barley in August following a review, and is undertaking a five-month review of its ban on Australian wine worth $1.2 billion (US$7.7 billion).
The remaining trade issues are bans on lobster and beef exports.
