Penny Wong to visit China for historic meeting
Penny Wong will meet with her Chinese counterpart this week — the first Australian minister to be invited to do so in four years.
Penny Wong has revealed she will visit China this week, meeting her counterpart Wang Yi on Wednesday – the 50th anniversary of Australia-China relations.
In a joint statement, Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Wong said the visit was being made at China’s invitation, following the Prime Minister’s talk with Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 in Bali last month.
Senator Wong and State Counsellor Wang will hold the 6th Australia-China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue during the visit.
“The meeting will coincide with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, on Wednesday 21 December,” Mr Albanese and Senator Wong said.
“We welcome the opportunity to mark this anniversary.
“Australia seeks a stable relationship with China; we will cooperate where we can, disagree where we must and engage in the national interest.”
The trip follows years of strained diplomatic relations between the countries, inflamed by China’s trade bans on $20bn in Australian exports, and its detention of Australians Cheng Lei and Yang Hengjun.
Mr Albanese and Senator Wong hailed Gough Whitlam’s “bold decision” to establish diplomatic relations with China in 1972, “recognising the importance of engagement and cooperation between our two nations and peoples”.
“In the decades since, China has grown to become one of the world’s largest economies and Australia’s largest trading partner.
“Trade between Australia and China, as well as strong people-to-people, cultural and business links have delivered significant benefits to both our countries.”
The last time a foreign minister visited China was in 2018, when Marise Payne made the journey.
The last government minister to make a trip to China was Simon Birmingham, who was the trade, tourism and investment minister in 2019.
Mr Birmingham, now the opposition spokesman for foreign affairs, said the Coalition welcomed the visit.
“It was always counter-productive for the Chinese government to cease ministerial dialogue for a period of time, and the resumption of face-to-face dialogue has been welcome,” Senator Birmingham said.
“We both have much to gain from supporting a stable, prosperous and open Indo-Pacific, in which the sovereignty of nations is respected and the international rules-based order upheld.”
Senator Birmingham said the “ultimate test” of Senator Wong’s visit would be in the outcome.
“Minister Wong’s visit will be judged on progress towards the removal of unwarranted tariffs and sanctions on Australian exports; achieving fair and transparent treatment of Australians currently detained in China; advancing regional security; and securing greater transparency on human rights issues,” he said.
“I wish Minister Wong well in her pursuit with the Chinese government, productive discussions and outcomes positive to our national interest.”
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