Trade talk always better than war

Photos showing Chinese leader Xi Jinping in combat fatigues and talking about war at Beijing’s Central Military Commission command centre hardly suggest a propitious opening gambit for talks in coming days with world leaders, including possibly Anthony Albanese. Chinese state media’s saturation coverage of Mr Xi’s highly symbolic appearance at the command centre, the equivalent of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, and his exhortation to China’s people to be “ready for war”, leaves no doubt, however, about the vital importance of talking with Mr Xi. “The entire military must … adhere to combat ability as the only, fundamental criterion, concentrate all energy on fighting a war, direct all its work towards warfare, and speed up in enhancing the ability to win a war,” Mr Xi, 69, ordered China’s top brass. His belligerence was applauded by soldiers in a control room featuring a large tactical map of Asia in front of rows of computer consoles.

Ahead of the talks Mr Xi is expected to have during the next 10 days with US President Joe Biden, the Prime Minister and others at the G20 leaders meeting in Bali and the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation leaders gathering in Bangkok, the significance of his warrior-like appearance at the CMC could not be more telling. As Mr Albanese said on Thursday, the prospect of a long overdue meeting with the Chinese leader is a “positive thing”. Another encouraging sign emerged on Thursday when the China Daily, Bejing’s most authorative mouthpiece, said China was ready to repair its fractured relationship with Australia. With even Opposition Leader Peter Dutton holding a “constructive meeting” with China’s ambassador in Canberra, Xiao Qian, the momentum for a possible rapprochement appears to be gathering pace. It clearly would be in the best interests of both our countries for a Xi-Albanese meeting to go ahead and for an end to be brought to China’s self-defeating hostility towards a relationship that soon will mark 50 years of diplomatic ties. Any meeting should not be taken, however, as signalling a backdown in Australia’s resolute stand against Chinese bullying and coercion and the destructive trade bans Beijing has imposed in contravention of just about every World Trade Organisation rule. Nor should it be taken as signalling the end of legitimate efforts by the international community to find out exactly how the Covid-19 pandemic started and spread. But it should indicate a willingness by both sides to discuss sensibly the issues that have blighted the bilateral relationship and a determination to find ways to restore the mutually beneficial ties that existed for so long.