Sussan Ley blasts Anthony Albanese’s performance on China visit

Visiting Queensland, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has taken aim at Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s performance on his visit to China.

Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of not advocating hard enough for Australia’s national security in his week-long trip to China.

Ms Ley said it wasn’t good enough that Mr Albanese had not gotten assurances from China that it would give Australia a heads-up next time it conducted naval drills in nearby waters.

The Chinese navy in February sparked flight chaos when it conducted live fire drills in the Tasman Sea, giving no warning before a Virgin pilot received an emergency radio message.

It followed a weeks-long circumnavigation of Australia.

Mr Albanese raised concerns over the drills with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing this week, saying there must be earlier notification in future, but China made no such promises.

Speaking in South East Queensland on Thursday, Ms Ley said that was unsatisfactory.

“I was disappointed that he didn’t get the assurances that he should about the unacceptable nature of the Chinese Communist Party’s (activities),” she said.

“Australians expect their prime minister to stand up for their national interest in conversations he has with world leaders.”

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley on Thursday. Picture: Liam Kidston

Defence Minister Richard Marles earlier sidestepped questions about whether Australia could trust China, given it had brushed off Mr Albanese’s request.

“The relationship with China is complex and it is difficult, it has challenges, but it also has opportunities, it is our largest trading partner, but the fundamental point is it’s a relationship that benefits from engagement,” Mr Marles told Sky News.

Ms Ley was also pressed on what the Coalition’s official policy was on Taiwan, and whether Australia should prematurely commit to a hypothetical future war, after the US reportedly puts pressure on the Government.

Senior Coalition frontbenchers James Paterson and Andrew Hastie have kept with the long bipartisan position of strategic ambiguity and maintaining the status quo.

But Opposition defence spokesman Angus Taylor was more emphatic on Tuesday when he controversially indicated a commitment to protect Taiwan in the event China did invade and the US waged war.

Ms Ley said the Coalition’s policy was for the peaceful preservation of the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

“And it is (our policy) to recognise that in these increasingly uncertain strategic times, it’s vital that Australia has a strong relationship with our closest ally – the US,” she said.

Originally published as Sussan Ley blasts Anthony Albanese’s performance on China visit