Anthony Albanese to meet with Xi Jinping on G20 sidelines

For the first time since 2016, an Australian Prime Minister will meet with the Chinese President.

Anthony Albanese’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday is in “China’s interest”, a senior minister says.

The Prime Minister will meet with Mr Xi – the first leaders meeting since 2016 – on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Indonesia.

Mr Albanese on Monday said he was “looking forward” to a “constructive meeting” with Mr Xi.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the meeting was in the interest of peace and prosperity, and stability and security in the region.

“I was with the Prime Minister yesterday in Indonesia, I know he’s looking forward to engaging with President Xi,” Dr Chalmers told ABC Radio on Tuesday.

“We don’t pretend that we don’t have big differences here … And we will speak out for our national interest where that is necessary.

“But we believe that engagement is important, but give ourselves the best change of working through some of these issues … today.”

Dr Chalmers said Australians should not expect all its differences with China to be solved in one meeting.

“One meeting is not going to solve all of them in one hit … This is about engaging,” he said.

“We give ourselves a much better chance (at solving big issues) when there’s engagement and dialogue, and there will be today.”

US President Joe Biden met with China's President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali on Monday. Picture: SAUL LOEB / AFP

It’s the latest sign of a thawing of the frosty relationship between the two countries, and is the first time an Australian Prime Minister has held a formal discussion with the Chinese President since Malcolm Turnbull in 2016.

Former prime minister Scott Morrison held a brief, informal discussion with Mr Xi in 2019.

The relationship between the two countries has soured in recent years, with trade sanctions and military priorities threatening the relationship.

Mr Albanese says he will enter the talks with “goodwill” and will not set “preconditions”, including asking China to lift its sanctions on key exports like barley.

It follows Mr Xi’s “candid” meeting with US President Joe Biden on Monday, in which the two countries agreed to deepen their relationship.

“I’ve said since I became the Prime Minister, but before that as well, that dialogue is always a good thing,” Mr Albanese said.

“We need to talk in order to develop mutual understanding.”

Mr Albanese said he was looking forward to a ‘constructive’ meeting with Mr Xi. Picture: TANG CHHIN Sothy / AFP

Since Labor came to power in May, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles have both held talks with their Chinese counterparts.

Mr Albanese met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the ASEAN summit in Cambodia on the weekend.

Premier Li told Chinese media Beijing wanted to “seize the opportunity” to work on the relationship.

“China is ready to meet Australia halfway, and work with Australia to seize the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations to promote sustained, sound and steady growth of China-Australia relations,” he said.

The meeting between Mr Albanese and Mr Xi will take place at 7pm AEDT.