China’s two-word swipe for Australia amid Albanese visit

Australia has been delivered a brutal swipe as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese becomes the first leader to visit China in seven years.

A particularly brutal sledge has been levelled at Australia as prime minister Anthony Albanese became the first leader in seven years to visit China.

While his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jingping was intended to represent a thawing in relations between the two countries, it hasn’t stopped barbs from being thrown.

Professor at China’s Shandong University, Yu Lei, told Chinese mouthpiece Global Times the visit was the “most crucial one in terms of Australia’s future”.

He said that “without China” Australia would experience “a trade deficit every year”.

The professor also encouraged Australia to “resist politicising, ideologising, or securitising the economic and trade relationship”.

The meeting, held on Tuesday (AEDT) came after a blunt warning from the United States.

US President Joe Biden last week offered a warned Australia against fully trusting China in front of international television cameras.

“Trust but verify is the phrase,’’ Mr Biden said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with China's President Xi Jinping. Picture: Twitter

Seven News’ political editor Mark Riley put the Prime Minister on the spot about the warning, asking Mr Albanese if he “trusts” President Xi.

“I am convinced we are building a relationship that constructive,’’ Mr Albanese replied.

“One where we are able to talk with each other directly, and in the discussions I have had with him, the formal discussion, but the other discussions as well, they have been positive and respectful.”

But with a clear answer not forthcoming, Insiders host David Speers tried again.

“Do you trust him?,’’ he said.

For a second time, the Prime Minister praised the Chinese leader but did not directly answer the question.

“Well I have, we have different political systems but the engagement that I have had with China, with President Xi Jinping have been positive,’’ he said.

“They have been constructive. He has never said anything to me that has not been done. And that is a positive weight you have to start off dealing with people.

“But we recognise as well that we come with different political systems. Very different values arising from that and different histories.

“But we deal with each other on face value and we deal with each other representing my job as to represent Australia’s national interests. He is the leader of a different nation with different interests.”

Mr Albanese demonstrated how different those systems were when he went for a walk with minimum security.

A Chinese professor said without China, Australia would have a permanent trade deficit. Picture: The Global Times

The Australian’s correspondent Will Glasgow said locals were surprised to see a world leader simply walking around the city.

“A bit of a surprise to bump into the PM during a morning walk along the Bund,’’ he said.

“Many Shanghainese couldn’t believe how light his security detail was — or that he would talk to passers by as he did.

“This could never happen in China,” one said.

Anthony Albanese said he was looking forward to having constructive dialogue with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

He also noted former Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam’s visit to China after he retraced the former Labor leader’s steps in Beijing.

“The Labor Party does care about our history and Australia cares about our history as well,’’ he said.

“This is commemorating 50 years since prime minister Whitlam came to China to recognise the first visit by an Australian prime minister to China following the recognition between Australia and the People’s Republic of China upon the election of the Whitlam government.

“I think there are promising signs. We’ve already seen. A number of the impediments to trade between two nations removed and an uplift already, substantial uplift in the trade between our two nations.”

– With Samantha Maiden

Originally published as China’s two-word swipe for Australia amid Albanese visit