‘No leverage’: Foreign minister Penny Wong’s bid to outmanoeuvre China on 50th anniversary of Australia-China relations

As Australia’s Foreign Minister heads to Beijing for the first time in four years for high level talks with Chinese officials, Penny Wong warns ‘hard issues’ will take time to resolve.

Australia will not allow its grievances with China to be used as leverage during high level talks in Beijing, as Foreign Minster Penny Wong declares the “hard issues” will take time to resolve.

Ms Wong was due to arrive in Beijing late on Tuesday night ahead of a formal bilateral meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and events with other senior officials on Wednesday.

Ahead of departing, Ms Wong moved to hose down speculation the trip would result in any major breakthroughs on ongoing issues, including the detention of Australians in China and unfair trade sanctions imposed by Beijing.

“The expectation should be that we will have a meeting, and that dialogue

itself is essential to stabilising the relationship,” she said.

“Many of the hard issues in the relationship will take time to resolve in our interests.”

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has met with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in New York earlier this year. Picture: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade via NCA NewsWire

Ms Wong said speculation had “implications for leverage,” suggesting China might use knowledge of the government’s hoped-for outcomes to deliberately move against Australia’s interest.

“I am not interested in giving any country leverage other than Australia,” she said.

Ms Wong said she would be raising the plight of Australian journalist Cheng Lei and writer Yang Hengjun, who are both jailed in China.

“I will be advocating on the consular cases as I always do,” she said.

Ms Wong said she would also be advocating for trade sanctions imposed on $20 billion of Australian exports, including barley, wine and coal, to be lifted.

“We do believe … it is in both countries’ interests to do so,” she said.

Journalist Cheng Lei is detained in China. Picture: Supplied

Writer Dr Yang Hengjun is also jailed in China. Picture: Supplied

“I want to emphasise that Australian business has done an outstanding job in diversifying its markets.

“It is always going to be in our interest to continue to prioritise that diversification.”

Ms Wong said her upcoming meeting with Mr Wang built upon recent “very constructive meetings” between the two countries, including formal talks between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali in November.

“We have been working very carefully and methodically and patiently towards stabilising the relationship between our two countries,” she said.

Ms Wong will take part in the sixth Australia-China foreign and strategic dialogue, which was last held in 2018.

“I certainly welcome the opportunity to continue dialogue,” she said.

“We seek a stable relationship with China.

“We will co-operate where we can, we will disagree where we must, and we will engage in our national interest.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has hailed the visit as a “significant milestone”. Picture: AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts

Mr Albanese said Ms Wong’s trip was an “important step” in stabilising relations.

“Her visit to Beijing on the … the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations on 21 December is a significant milestone,” he said.

“The decision to establish diplomatic relations took ambition and courage, but

was the right decision, and the relationship has delivered benefits to both our countries, including through our strong economic, people to people academic and business links.

“The anniversary tomorrow provides an opportunity for both sides to reflect on the relationship and how it can be more constructive in the future.”

‘BUBBLE’ COVID PRECAUTIONS

The Australian delegation travelling to Beijing will be hosted by the Chinese Government in a compound made up of several buildings, with the formal talks to be held on site due to ongoing tough Covid-19 restrictions in China.

Ms Wong and those travelling with her are confined to a “bubble” and will not be permitted to move freely around Beijing, where Covid rates have soared in recent weeks.

Ahead of Ms Wong’s trip the Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece The Global Times published an article accusing the previous Coalition governments of “deliberately” creating “trouble out of nothing”.

“The radical, narrow, erroneous, and stupid China policies of the last two Australian administrations have seriously damaged the friendly and cooperative atmosphere accumulated in China-Australia relations for decades,” the newspaper said.

“The twists and turns and difficulties that China-Australia relations have experienced in the past years are completely unnecessary and purely manufactured.”

The Global Times claimed 2022 was a year China-Australia relations “broke through” and improved under the Albanese government.

“We certainly expect that the relationship between the two countries can get out of the predicament and turn around.”

FIRST TRIP IN FOUR YEARS

It’s the first time in four years Australia’s Foreign Minister has travelled to Beijing for high level meetings with Chinese officials: a further sign of easing tensions between the two nations.

The visit will be Ms Wong’s third meeting with Mr Wang since Labor won the federal election in May.

In a joint statement with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Ms Wong confirmed the upcoming trip on Monday.

“Building on the recent constructive meeting between Prime Minister Albanese and President Xi in Bali on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, tomorrow foreign minister Penny Wong will travel to Beijing at the invitation of the People’s Republic of China to meet China’s state councillor and minister of foreign affairs, Wang Yi, and hold the 6th Australia – China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue,” the statement said.

“This Dialogue was last held in 2018.”

The statement noted this week marked the 50th anniversary of relations between the two countries.

“In 1972, then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam took a bold decision, recognising the importance of engagement and co-operation between our two nations and peoples,” the statement said.

“In the decades since, China has grown to become one of the world’s largest economies and Australia’s largest trading partner.

Ms Wong’s predecessor Marise Payne last visited Beijing for talks four years ago.

Last week Mr Albanese hinted at the important trip saying he predicted further measures and activities which indicate a much improved relationship” over the “coming weeks”.

Coalition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said the opposition welcomed Ms Wong’s visit, but warned it would be judged on its outcomes.

“Engagement between governments is essential to advance areas of mutual interest and to manage differences,” he said.

“It was always counter-productive for the Chinese Government to cease ministerial dialogue for a period of time and the resumption of face-to-face dialogue has been welcome.”

Coalition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham says Penny Wong’s trip to China will be judged on its outcomes. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Mr Birmingham said Australia and China “both have much to gain from supporting a stable, prosperous and open Indo-Pacific, in which the sovereignty of nations is respected and the international rules-based order upheld”.

“It is welcome that the Albanese Government has continued the former Coalition government’s recognition of the strategic challenges Australia faces and important that they pursue the stabilisation of Australia-China relations while remaining committed to protecting Australia’s national interests,” he said.

“The ultimate test of any dialogue lies in the outcomes achieved.

“Minister Wong’s visit will be judged on progress towards the removal of unwarranted tariffs and sanctions on Australian exports, achieving fair and transparent treatment of Australians currently detained in China, advancing regional security via respect for international law, and securing greater transparency on human rights issues of concern.”

Mr Birmingham was the last Australian minister to visit China, doing so in 2019 when he was trade minister.