Xi and Albanese laud ‘turnaround’ in relations as Beijing faces Trump presidency

Chinese President Xi Jinping has made requests of Anthony Albanese as the world prepares for another Donald Trump presidency.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Colombian President Gustavo Petro with leaders of the G20 members. Picture: WPA Pool/Getty Images

Xi Jinping has urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to oppose protectionism and promote “stability and certainty in the region”, as China grapples with the prospect of a Trump presidency.

The Chinese president emphasised the recent “turnaround” in relations, following the end of a bitter, years-long trade dispute that saw more than $20 billion of Australian exports blocked from entering the country.

In a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rio, Xi remarked: “Over the past decade, we have made some progress in China-Australia relations and also witnessed some twists and turns.”

“Now, our relations have realised a turnaround and continues to grow, bringing tangible benefits to our two peoples,” President Xi said.

“So, this is the result of our collective hard work in the same direction, and should be maintained with great care.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a 30 minute bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. Picture: PMO

Beijing had previously imposed a raft of punitive trade tariffs on Australian coal, wine, lobster and other goods after tensions reached a tipping point under the Morrison government.

These measures have almost entirely been wound back with the PM securing the return of Australian lobster, one of the last remaining restrictions, to Chinese markets by the end of the year.

The olive branch extended by Xi, offering an expansion of economic ties between Australia and China, comes as China faces president-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to implement a 60 per cent tariff on Chinese goods.

Growing anxiety around the implications of a Trump presidency on the Chinese economy has seen Xi step up his messaging of a “multipolar world” and the importance of free and open trade at both the G20 summit and the APEC meeting in Peru last week.

President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to implement 60 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods. Picture: Brandon Bell/Getty Images/AFP

In a press conference following the 30 minute private meeting, Mr Albanese detailed some of the topics covered.

“I raised the issues of human rights, I raised Taiwan, I raised cyber, I raised the supply of assets to Russia, I raised the ICBM missile test that I had previously raised as well with the Chinese premier, so we raised issues that matter to us, to Australia,” Mr Albanese said.

The PM also assured Australians that “we will disagree where we must, and we do disagree on a range of issues.”

“We have different political systems,” he said.

This contrasts with remarks attributed to Xi reported in Chinese news agency Xinhua that “as long as the two sides … seek common ground while shelving differences, China-Australia relations will surely develop.”

While the Chinese charm offensive launched at the G20 and APEC talks aims to shore up trade relations, it sits in front of the backdrop of heightened tensions in the South China Sea. Several protests lodged by the Albanese government in the past year over a sonar incident that injured Australian navy divers and a near miss between a Chinese fighter jet and an Aussie navy helicopter, have fallen on deaf ears in Beijing.

Originally published as Xi and Albanese laud ‘turnaround’ in relations as Beijing faces Trump presidency