Chinese Premier Li to visit Australia for ‘stable, direct’ ties: Premier Albanese
ISTANBUL
Stressing “stable and direct” ties with Beijing, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang will visit Canberra later this week.
It will be the first trip to Australia by a Chinese premier since 2017 when the late Li Keqiang visited Canberra.
“Australia continues to pursue a stable and direct relationship with China. This visit is an opportunity to engage directly on key issues for both our nations,” Albanese said on X.
Albanese visited China last November, following which he said Canberra’s relations with China were “important.”
“I am committed to advocating Australia’s interests as we work to shape the decades ahead,” he had said after meeting Li in Beijing.
Albanese’s trip to China was the first by any Australian leader in seven years, aimed at overhauling bilateral relations.
Li will visit Australia between Saturday and Tuesday and meet with Albanese in Canberra.
He will also travel to Adelaide and Perth for business trips.
The bilateral relations between Beijing and Canberra spiraled down under the former administration of Scott Morrison, who angered China by seeking a probe into the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Australia joining the US and the UK for the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal also impacted the bilateral ties.
Australian businesses suffered losses of at least $13 billion every year due to trade restrictions imposed by China.
However, the bilateral trade volume rose to $169.62 billion last year, surpassing the pre-pandemic level in 2019.
Ahead of the trip to Canberra, Li is set to visit New Zealand this week.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi had visited Wellington and Canberra in March.
Li will also visit Malaysia next week, China’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
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