Move for Morrison to visit Beijing

A leading Chinese academic on Australia relations has called on Scott Morrison to visit China before the end of the year.

A visit to China by Scott Morrison would bring a ‘fresh wind of change’ to the Australia-China relationship. Picture: AAP

A leading Chinese academic on Australia relations has called on Scott Morrison to visit China before the end of the year as envisaged under the comprehensive strategic partnership established under the Abbott government in 2014.

Chen Hong, director of the Australian Studies Centre at the East China Normal University in Shanghai, said a visit to China by the Prime Minister would bring a “fresh wind of change” to the Australia-China relationship, which appears to be getting back on track after two years of strain.

“Since his ascension to the prime ministership, Scott Morrison has demonstrated a positive China approach, which is very distinctive from the previous unconstructive policies,” Mr Chen said yesterday.

Mr Morrison’s recent meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Singapore and his talks with President Xi Jinping on the sides of the APEC meeting in Papua New Guinea were the first steps towards bringing the bilateral relationship back on the right track.

“It is now high time for both sides to move beyond gestures and further cement the comprehensive strategic partnership which has been rickety for some time with the surprise downturn of the relationship over the past two years. A visit by Prime Minister Morrison would be a fresh wind of change which would invigorate the diplomatic, economic and cultural relationship.”

Mr Chen said sound foreign policy needed consistency.

“China is not a card to be played for partisan profits but is and will be Australia’s close and longstanding partner,” he said.

The partnership arrangement struck four years ago between Australia and China envisages leaders visit each other’s countries on alternate years, but trips to China by high-level Australian officials this year had been limited until Foreign Minister Marise Payne’s surprise visit last month.

Mr Li visited Australia early last year which makes it Australia’s turn for a prime ministerial visit to Beijing this year. Ms Payne’s visit was seen as a sign of improving ties and potentially paving the way for a visit to China by Mr Morrison.

While Ms Payne was only in Beijing for 24 hours, the symbolism of the visit in terms of getting the relationship back on track was significant.

Relations began to improve with a speech by Malcolm Turnbull in the last days of his government with Mr Morrison taking the opportunity to acknowledge the need for Australia to have constructive relations with its largest trading partner.

On its side, China has also been conscious of the need to have closer relations with its regional neighbours as it has come under sustained fire this year from the Trump administration which are still wary despite the weekend meeting between Donald Trump and Xi.

A visit to Beijing in the next few weeks would mean the partnership deal envisaged in 2014 is now back on track.

It would also provide Mr Morrison with a chance to put Australia’s case to China at a time for continued strong trade relations when China is now under strong pressure to step up purchases of agricultural and energy goods from the US in the wake of the Trump-Xi meeting in Argentina.

Former prime minister John Howard is visiting Beijing this week leading the Australian delegation in a high-level dialogue while the Australia China Council is releasing a new book at the Australian embassy in Beijing today to mark its 40th anniversary.

Speculation about whether Mr Morrison could fit in a lightning visit to China in the final weeks of the year comes as German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier starts a six-day visit to China today, the latest world leader to visit Beijing this year.