China's President Xi Jinping says he attaches "great importance" to developing relations with between China and Australia, and that he will work to promote a comprehensive strategic partnership, state media reports.
Key points:
- The comments came just hours before Penny Wong is set to meet with her Chinese counterpart
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he received a "very warm" letter from Mr Xi
- Today marks 50 years since Australia began diplomatic relations with China
Mr Xi made the comments in a report from China Central Television (CCTV), a state-owned media outlet.
"I attach great importance to the development of China-Australia relations and am willing to work with the Australian side," he said.
The comments come as Foreign Minister Penny Wong prepares to meet her counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing, after being formally invited to travel to China this week — becoming the first Australian minister to visit the country since 2019.
The invitation has been seen as a sign China is further willing to re-engage in diplomatic talks with Australia, and a potential softening of billions of dollars in trade sanctions.
Senator Wong will meet Mr Wang tonight, where it is expected she will raise not only the trade sanctions, but also the plight of Australians currently detained in China.
The visit is officially to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with China.
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had received a "very warm" letter from Mr Xi.
"Congratulating Australia on the 50th anniversary in response to correspondence I sent to President Xi," he said.
"It is important we deliver better relations with our major trading partner."
Both Mr Albanese and Senator Wong have sought to manage expectations about the official visit, saying the mark of success is re-engaging a dialogue with China.
Australia protests ban while working to 'repair' China relationship
Australia is "protesting vigorously" against a ban on consular visits to jailed citizens in China introduced as a massive wave of COVID-19 swept the country.
Diplomats have not been able to visit detainees like Australian Chinese journalist Cheng Lei and writer Dr Yang Hengjun since September, after China enforced a total ban on consular access for all countries to all prisoners due to a surge in COVID cases.
Australia's ambassador to China Graham Fletcher said consular officials were particularly focused on regaining access to detained citizens.
"At the moment because China is experiencing a [COVID] surge, it has unfortunately stopped regular (consular) access to all prisoners […] for all countries," he said.
"We are protesting vigorously about that."
Senator Wong's trip to Beijing is the first ministerial visit Mr Fletcher has hosted since former trade minister Simon Birmingham travelled to China in November 2019.
The ambassador said he believed Australia was in "good position now" to "repair" the relationship and collaborate on "worthwhile" initiatives.
"There are lots of things that Australia and China can work well together on […] like climate change, renewables [and] health," he said.
Mr Fletcher said that in recent years "China has learned that Australia has a sense of itself and a national interest."
The ambassador said he believed once COVID has gone as an "impediment" to international travel, China-Australia people-to-people connections through business, tourism and education would resume.
He said he was looking forward to future trade, minister, state premier and business leader visits as travel restrictions eased.
'The ice thaws, but slowly'
Earlier today, Senator Wong joined Mr Fletcher for a quick walk around the fenced-off compound frequently used by the Chinese government to host visiting dignitaries, including world leaders.
"The ice thaws, but slowly," observed Senator Wong to Mr Fletcher as the pair strolled around Diaoyutai Gardens in Beijing.
Asked if she was "looking forward to breaking the ice" ahead of her meeting with Wang Yi, Senator Wong's observation about the slow-melting ponds was an apt description of Australia's relationship with China.
Ms Wong has travelled to Beijing with a small Australian contingent, which includes Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) secretary Jan Adams and about half a dozen other officials, in a COVID-19 "bubble".
Mr Fletcher joined the Australian "bubble" in the compound on Tuesday night, along with several diplomats from the Beijing embassy.
After a brief walk at the compound, Mr Fletcher briefed Ms Wong in a meeting room in one of the buildings.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ming said China expected to take the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Australia as "an opportunity to strengthen dialogue and expand cooperation" while also "managing differences".
"Bilateral ties had deteriorated for years due to a series of actions taken by the former Australian government, including offending China's core interests, falsely accusing China of 'infiltration' and limiting Australia's cooperation with China," the China Daily article said.
On Wednesday, the 50th anniversary and Ms Wong's visit feature prominently across Chinese-language and English media in China.
Most of the opinion articles are positive about Australia, with even the traditionally more adversarial and "wolf warrior" styled Global Times, which describes the anniversary as an opportunity with "pitfalls".
The China Daily has a commemorative lift out, which includes advertorials from Tourism Australia, the government of South Australia and Risen Energy.
The lift out features stories on diplomatic relations, the opportunities for "mutual growth" in digital economy and infrastructure, and mining.
Reuters/ABC/Pool
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2022-12-21 06:19:58Z
CBMicGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIyLTEyLTIxL3hpLWppbnBpbmctZGVjbGFyZXMtd2lsbGluZy10by1yZXBhaXItY2hpbmEtYXVzdHJhbGlhLXJlbGF0aW9ucy8xMDE3OTgwNzbSAShodHRwczovL2FtcC5hYmMubmV0LmF1L2FydGljbGUvMTAxNzk4MDc2
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