PM offered ‘in principle’ invitation to visit China, says Hong Kong media report

Anthony Albanese has reportedly been extended an invitation to travel to China, the day after he said he’d take Xi Jinping up on an offer to visit.

Anthony Albanese has reportedly been invited to visit China and could travel there as early as September this year.

The Prime Minister’s Office has declined to confirm a report in the South China Morning Post citing Chinese and Australian government sources who told the publication China had extended an “in principle” invitation for Mr Albanese to visit Beijing.

In the article, published online on Tuesday, the Hong Kong-based English-language newspaper said Mr Albanese’s trip could take place around September or October.

The SCMP report comes a day after Mr Albanese said he had no plans to travel to China “at this point in time” but reiterated he would take up an offer from Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit if he made one.

“I’ve said that if I was invited, I would go,” Mr Albanese told Perth’s 6PR Radio on Monday.

“I think that dialogue is always a good thing. It’s always good to talk and engage. That doesn’t mean that we don’t have differences, we’re a great democracy. China is not a democracy. And with that comes differences in the way that we’re structured.

“But as our major trading partner, a lot of Australian jobs and economic activity is connected with China.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters in Adelaide on Monday he would accept an invitation to travel to China if he were offered one. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Mr Albanese made similar comments later in the day as he spoke to reporters in South Australia while touring an Adelaide shipyard which will one day be home to the AUKUS submarine build.

“China is our major trading partner. I say that we will co-operate with China where we can, we will disagree where we must, and engage in our national interests,” he said.

“I have said I would accept an invitation were it to be given by President Xi Jinping.”

If Mr Albanese went on the trip, it would come 50 years after Gough Whitlam became the first Australian prime minister to visit China when he travelled there in October 1973.

Mr Albanese’s office said on Tuesday evening it had nothing to add to his comments from Monday, which came after two more state premiers confirmed their own imminent trips to China.

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan is set to travel to China later this month. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Philip Gostelow

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has said she will travel there later this year and West Australian Premier Mark McGowan is slated to depart for a five-day trip on April 17.

On the weekend, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews returned from his own four-day visit to China after attracting criticism for his decision not to bring Australian journalists with him on what he described as a business trip.

The federal government is hopeful improving Beijing-Canberra relations could lead to a breakthrough in the trade dispute and the unwinding of Chinese sanctions on Australian products including beef, wine, lobster and barley, worth about $20bn a year.

Trade Minister Don Farrell could travel to Beijing in coming weeks after accepting an invitation from his Chinese counterpart when they met virtually last month.

He would follow Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Assistant Trade Minister Tim Ayres, who have both met with leaders in China since the Albanese government was elected, as the frosty Beijing-Canberra relationship continues to thaw.

Mr Albanese met with President Xi on the sidelines of the G20 summit last year.

Originally published as PM offered ‘in principle’ invitation to visit China, says Hong Kong media report