Demands listed: long march to new era with China

Beijing confirmed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was the driving force in the reconciliation, a move that was appreciated by the Xi government.

Penny Wong and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse on Wednesday. Picture: AAP

Australia and China have pledged to work together to restore bilateral relations, setting aside years of tensions amid a landmark visit to the country by Foreign Minister Penny Wong coinciding with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ­official ties between the countries.

Chinese President Xi Jinping declared in a message to Governor-General David Hurley that his country would reactivate the nations’ dormant comprehensive strategic partnership “for the continuous benefit of our two countries and peoples”.

“I attach great importance to the development of China-Australia relations and I am willing to work with the Australian side,” Mr Xi said in his message to mark the anniversary.

Senator Wong met with her Chinese counterpart, State Councillor Wang Yi, for about an hour and 40 minutes, urging the release of detained Australians Cheng Lei and Yang Hengjun, the easing of Chinese trade bans against Australian exports, and the need to ­respect human rights and global rules.

She said afterwards that they had “a good discussion”, flagging further talks to resolve trade blockages.

Senator Wong said she’d urged Mr Wang to restore consular ­access to Ms Cheng and Dr Yang, which had been interrupted by the Covid wave sweeping China, and for them “to be reunited with their families”. At the opening of the meeting, she said restoring bilateral ties could occur while both nations safeguarded their national interests.

“We believe we can realise even greater potential for our peoples under our comprehensive strategic partnership. We can grow our bilateral relationship and uphold both our national interests if both countries navigate our differences wisely,” Senator Wong said.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong shakes hands with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Wednesday.

Mr Wang said Australia-China relations had “led the way” in ­Beijing’s ties with developed countries, but had “encountered difficulties and setbacks” in recent times. “This is what we do not want to see. The lessons must be learned,” he said. “There is no historical grievance, or fundamental conflicts of interests between our two countries. We can, and have every reason, to be co-operation partners with each other.”

Mr Wang revealed the Albanese government sought the meeting, saying the move was ­appreciated by China as a sign of Australia’s positive intent.

“We are ready to work with you to implement the important points of agreement between our leaders … and start again on this journey to further improve our bilateral relations and move it forward in a sustainable manner,” he said. Anthony Albanese said he welcomed Mr Xi’s “very warm letter” congratulating Australia on the anniversary, which came just over a month after the leaders’ icebreaking meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali.

Premier Li Keqiang and Mr ­Albanese also exchanged messages, with Mr Li labelling the milestone as an opportunity to “deepen exchanges and co-operation in various fields” and ”bring more benefits to the people of both countries”.

Senator Wong’s meeting with Mrr Wang at Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse – achieved without concessions by Australia – was the first formal meeting of the countries’ foreign ministers in China since 2018. It followed months of “quiet diplomacy” by the Albanese government to stabilise relations with Australia’s biggest trading partner.

The Minister’s arrival in Beijing in the early hours of Wednesday coincided with a burst of positive coverage in China’s state-run media marking the 50th anniversary.

The China Daily ran a four-page “Australia Special” in its Wednesday edition to mark the 50th anniversary; a package of positive news articles and sponsored content not seen in Chinese state media since the bilateral ­relationship broke down. The trip followed a long diplomatic freeze, amid Australia’s ban on “high risk” Chinese vendors participating in the nation’s 5G network, the Coalition’s foreign interference laws, and the Morrison government’s 2020 call for a UN inquiry into the origins of the Covid-19.

The tensions between the countries were inflamed by China’s trade bans on Australian exports previously worth $20bn-a-year, its “Wolf Warrior” style diplomacy, and concerns across the Indo-Pacific over China’s surging military investment and aggressive conduct towards its neighbours.

The thaw in ties comes as Beijing also works to put a floor under tensions with the United States, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken due to visit Beijing in the New Year.

The Minister travelled to Beijing with a small contingent of ­advisers including Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Jan Adams, who was ambassador to China from 2016-2019. Amid growing hopes Australian citizens Ms Cheng and Dr Yang could be released in coming months, Mr Fletcher said the embassy was “protesting vigorously” against a ban on consular visits to the prisoners due to surging Covid-19 infections across the country. The ambassador said he believed Australia was in “good position now” to ”repair” the relationship and collaborate on ”worthwhile” initiatives.

When Covid was no longer an impediment to international travel, the countries would begin to reconnect through business, tourism and education exchanges, he said.

The chair of the China-Australia Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, Vaughn Barber, said the stabilisation of ties between the countries was “highly welcomed by the Australian business community here in China”.

“This is a positive step forward,” Mr Barber said, declaring he was ”cautiously optimistic” about the prospects of further improvements next year.

One story in the China Daily painted a bullish outlook in 2023 for Australia’s mining giants in China – their biggest customer by far. Others spruiked opportunities for Australian businesses to work alongside Chinese companies in the Belt and Road Initiative, President Xi’s signature infrastructure-led foreign policy idea which Canberra declined to join.

Another piece, sponsored by Tourism Australia, pitched Australia as a “desirable destination” for Chinese tourists planning their first post-lockdown holidays.

“We can’t wait to say G’Day and welcome more Chinese travellers back to our beautiful country in 2023,” said Tourism Australia’s executive general manager of eastern markets Andrew Hogg.

The China Daily spread — which included ads by University of Queensland and the Chinese-owned, ASX-lister coal miner Yancoal — came a day after an article published by China’s powerful customs agency indicated a more than two year black-listing of Australian lobsters could soon be unwound.

In a video message with Chinese subtitles marking the diplomatic anniversary, Mr Albanese praised China’s economic success in lifting its people from poverty.

The Prime Minister said the Whitlam government’s move to engage with China in 1972 “was the right decision”, acknowledging China had grown to become one of the world’s largest economies and Australia’s biggest trading partner. “We will always have differences to manage, and we’re always going to be better off when we talk to each other, calmly and directly and with respect,” he said. “That has been the basis of our years of diplomatic relations and is also the basis of our comprehensive strategic partnership.

“It is for the mutual benefit of both our countries that Australia and China have a stable relationship.”