Chinese President defiant on navy drills in talks with Albanese

President Xi Jinping has told Anthony Albanese that China’s military will continue to conduct exercises in international waters near Australia after the PM asked that Beijing give more notice.

President Xi Jinping has told Anthony Albanese that China’s military will continue to conduct exercises in international waters near Australia after the Prime Minister asked that Beijing give more notice in the future.

Mr Albanese met with Mr Xi for about an hour at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Tuesday, where he reiterated concerns about the lack of notification when a flotilla of People’s Liberation Army navy warships circumnavigated Australia and conducted live fire exercises in the Tasman Sea earlier this year.

The PM confirmed he sought assurances from Mr Xi there would be better communication, but noted the Chinese leader did not directly give that guarantee.

“President Xi said that China engaged in exercises just as Australia engages in exercises,” he said.

Mr Albanese said he raised specific “maritime incidents” involving Australia, including the circumnavigation the PLA navy ships conducted in March.

“I said what I said at the time, which was that it was within international law, there was no breach of international law by China, but that we were concerned about the notice and the way that it happened, including the live fire exercises,” he said.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping in China. Picture: PMO

Although he did not secure any immediate promises from China, Mr Albanese said he believed dialogue was an inherently “good thing”.

“If you don’t have communication, you can have misadventure and misinterpretation as well,” he said.

In his opening remarks at the start of the meeting, Mr Xi said the China-Australia relationship had risen from its “setback” and should continue in its positive direction “no matter how the international landscape may evolve”.

Mr Xi said they had “reached many common understandings with efforts from both sides”.

“The China Australia relationship has rose from the setback and turned around, bringing tangible benefits to the Chinese and Australian peoples,” Mr Xi said.

“The most important thing we can learn from this is that a commitment to equal treatment, to seeking common ground while sharing differences, pursuing mutually beneficial cooperation, serves the fundamental interests of our two countries and two peoples.

“No matter how the international landscape may evolve, we should uphold this overall direction unswervingly.”

Anthony Albanese and Xi Jinping discuss the relationship between the two countries. Picture: PMO

The latter comment appeared to be a reference to Donald Trump, but Mr Albanese said the US President did not get a mention in his talks with Mr Xi.

Mr Albanese said Australia’s relationship with the US was “separate” to its trading partnership with China.

The PM said tariffs weren’t raised either, but he asserted Australia’s view that “we stand for free and fair trade”.

Earlier this week Mr Albanese’s visit to China was overshadowed by reports the US was seeking greater assurances from Australia on how it might use its capabilities, including future AUKUS submarines, in the event of a conflict over Taiwan.

The PM said he reiterated Australia’s support for the “status quo” on Taiwan in his discussion with Mr Xi.

During his meeting with Mr Xi, Mr Albanese also advocated for the release of jailed Australian pro-democracy writer Dr Yang Hengjun, but he said he was not expecting an immediate resolution to the case.

“That’s not the way these things work,” he said. “The way it works is by that patient, calibrated advocacy. That is what Australians do, that is what my government does.”

The PM revealed Mr Xi did not directly raise concerns with the Albanese Government’s plan to return the lease of the Darwin Port to Australian ownership.

In 2015 a 99-year lease on the strategically significant port was sold to Chinese-owned company Landbridge, a decision Mr Albanese said he had opposed at the time.

“I’ve had the same position for a decade since the ... Liberal federal government chose to give an incentive to the Northern Territory Liberal government to flog off an asset,” he said.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping today in China. Picture: PMO

Mr Albanese said Mr Xi also did not bring up a longstanding complaint of the Chinese Government that Australia’s foreign investment rules were too restrictive on China.

The Prime Minister, who was in Shanghai earlier this week and will travel from Beijing to the city of Chengdu on Wednesday, also took part in the Annual Leaders Meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

The pair attended the China-Australia CEO forum, where Mr Albanese said Beijing’s removal of trade blocks on copper, coal, beef, cotton, timber, hay, barley, wine, red meat and lobster had provided a “significant boost” for Australian exporters and benefited Chinese consumers and business.

“The resumption and the continued growth of trade in these areas is a reflection of the patient, deliberate and calibrated approach our government has taken to stabilising the relationship between Australia and China,” he said. “That works continues.”

Meanwhile, Opposition leader Sussan Ley said the Coalition wanted Australia to have a “strong, respectful relationship with China” built on trade and people-to-people links.

“Friendship is important, but that friendship can’t come at the cost of our national interest, and silence on the things that matter to Australia can never be the price of a ticket to Beijing,” she said.

Originally published as Chinese President defiant on navy drills in talks with Albanese