Xi Jinping praises Australia as China seeks allies against Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs

Xi Jinping has told Anthony Albanese that relations between our countries should be “maintained with great care”, as China seeks allies against Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has launched a desperate charm offensive seeking Australia’s support standing against trade protectionism, as Beijing scrambles to prepare for Donald Trump’s imminent return to the White House.

After two years of blocking about $20 billion in Australian products from accessing Chinese markets – with the last of the trade impediments still not fully removed – Beijing is now courting the very country it targeted for help in the hopes of avoiding Mr Trump’s promised taxes on goods imported to the US.

Anthony Albanese and Mr Xi met on the sidelines of the G20 leaders’ summit in Brazil where the Chinese President said relations between the two countries had “realised a turnaround”.

(L-R, front row) South African Cyril Ramaphosa, President Chinese President Xi Jinping and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Alabanese stand during a group photo with G20 leaders in Brazil. Picture: AFP

G20 leaders pose for a group photo at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Picture: AFP

(L to R) Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Colombia's President Gustavo Petro, and Paraguay's President Santiago Pena. Picture: AFP

US President Joe Biden talks with his security as part of the G20 Summit 2024 at Museu de Arte Moderna in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Picture: Getty Images

Flanked by a large contingent of high-level Chinese officials, Mr Xi announced his desire to work with the Prime Minister to project “more stability and certainty” into the world, while warning the countries’ improved ties should be “maintained with great care”.

The 30-minute meeting held at Mr Xi’s hotel in Rio de Janeiro overnight Monday Australian time was the third formal one-on-one between the Chinese leader and Mr Albanese in the last two years.

“I wish to work with you, Mr Prime Minister, to make our comprehensive strategic partnership more mature, stable and fruitful and project more stability and certainty to the region and the wider world,” Mr Xi said.

Joe Biden at Museu de Arte Moderna in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Picture: Getty Images

According to Beijing mouthpiece China Daily, Mr Xi told Mr Albanese “no fundamental conflict of interests exists” between their countries and as long as the two sides adhered to “mutual respect” and “seek common ground while shelving distances” then “China-Australia relations will surely develop well”.

The state-owned newspaper, which last week published an editorial praising Mr Albanese’s approach to relations with China as something to be emulated by other leaders, said Mr Xi also called on Beijing and Canberra “oppose protectionism”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and China’s President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was welcomed to the G20 leaders summit in Rio de Janeiro by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Picture: Supplied/handout/Prime Minister's Office

Anthony Albanese, Cyril Ramaphosa president of South Africa and Emmanuel Macron president of France talk as part of the G20 Summit 2024 at Museu de Arte Moderna in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Picture: Getty Images

Anthony Albanese listens during the first working session as part of the G20 Summit 2024 at Museu de Arte Moderna in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Picture: Getty Images

Though Mr Trump was not in Brazil, the impact of his election pledge to hit Chinese goods with a 60 per cent import tax was evident in Beijing’s pro-trade focus at the summit.

Mr Albanese had already called for ongoing “free and fair” trade given Mr Trump’s other promise to slap a tax of up to 20 per cent on all foreign goods imported to America, but also said he was confident Australia would not be affected given the strong relationship with the US.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a 30-minute bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Picture: Prime Minister's Office

Mr Albanese said he raised a “range of issues” where Australia disagrees with Mr Xi, including human rights concerns, Taiwan, cyber attacks, the supply of assets to Russia, and the case of Dr Yang Hengjun, an Australian academic jailed in Beijing and handed a suspended death sentence based on spurious espionage charges.

Anthony Albanese talks to Giorgia Meloni, prime minister of Italy, as part of the G20 Summit 2024 at Museu de Arte Moderna in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Picture: Getty Images

The pair appeared in good spirits. Picture: Getty Images

Mr Xi appears to be using the summit to build a coalition of governments supportive of open trade ahead of US president-elect Donald Trump returning to office on the promise of imposing tariffs on goods imported to America.

The Chinese leader’s diplomatic efforts went beyond Australia, with Mr Albanese entering the meeting room mere minutes after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had departed.

China's President Xi Jinping (C) attends the first day of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Picture: AFP

British journalists were reportedly ushered out of the bilateral at the top of the meeting when Mr Starmer raised a number of specific issues in front of the press, including Taiwan, Chinese sanctions on British MPs and the case of Jimmy Lai — a British national pro-democracy activist facing trial in Hong Kong.

Mr Starmer said he was “concerned” to hear of Mr Lai’s “deterioration,” at which point the two British reporters in the room were removed by Beijing officials.

Mr Albanese also met with Mr Starmer on the sidelines of the summit, with the two Labor leaders vowing to “double down” on co-operation in areas like security and climate.

Mr Albanese said he did not speak about Mr Trump in his formal meeting with Mr Starmer, but added it would be “disingenuous” to imply recent “political issues” hadn’t been a feature of casual talks between world leaders on the sidelines of the summit.

According to a spokesperson for Mr Starmer, the two leaders discussed the need to do “whatever it takes” to ensure Russian President Vladimir Putin “does not win”.

It comes amid reports Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would present G20 leaders with “peace” proposal that would involve freezing borders based on where Russian troops are already occupying Ukraine.

But Mr Albanese said Australia’s position was to support Ukraine and condemn Russia’s “immoral and illegal” invasion.