Prime Minister Scott Morrison meets with China’s Premier who calls for ‘mutual trust’
As Asian leaders descended on Bangkok, Scott Morrison has met with China’s Premier in a bid to improve the relationship between the two countries.
VIC News
Don't miss out on the headlines from VIC News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
China’s Premier Li Keqiang has issued a call for Australia and China to work together to build “mutual trust,’’ in a conciliatory meeting with Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Thailand overnight.
Mr Morrison responded that he was “very strongly committed to improving the relationship’’ as the pair sought to mend ties between the two countries.
The meeting on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit followed months of rancour over Australia’s crackdown on foreign interference, particularly targeting Chinese officials, and deep unhappiness in Beijing with Australia criticising China’s treatment of its Uighur minority community.
A Chinese official had also warned Australia not to become a “sacrifice’’ in any potential war between China and the United States.
But at the luxury Shangri-La Hotel in the Thai capital Bangkok last night, Mr Morrison and China’s second-most-powerful politician sought to normalise the relationship.
“We are ready to work with the Australian side to keep our relationship on the right track, deepen our mutual trust and jointly maintain regional and global peace,’’ Mr Li said.
Mr Morrison raised China’s economic development and said Australia valued its strategic partnership with China.
“I feel very strongly committed to improve that relationship and ensuring it realises its full potential,’’ he said.
The pair later met privately.
It is not known if Australia raised its concerns about Chinese expansionism in the region, and specifically with the South China Sea.
They also discussed the potential for the two countries to be partners on energy, particularly involving renewables.
The meeting was scheduled for 30 minutes but went for 45 minutes.
While the summit will not formally debate China’s rising power, it is expected to be discussed at a series of bilateral meetings at the edges of the summit.
US-China trade tensions, North Korea, the Rahkine state and Rohingya crisis will also be discussed at the off-agenda meetings.
Mr Morrison was last night attending a dinner in Bangkok with leaders including Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, Russia’s Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev and Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi.
MORE NEWS:
O’Neil gets to the heart of Labor’s real problem
Britain’s new house could be as messy as this one
Taylor firming as real threat to Trump
US President Donald Trump is not attending the summit, in what the Japan Times dubbed a “snub’’ for the region, instead sending his new national security adviser Robert O’Brien, the first time since 2011 that the US has not been represented by the president or a very senior minister.