Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese concluded his historic six-day trip to China with an unexpected visit to a giant panda breeding centre in Chengdu. This visit served to underscore the importance of building commercial and economic ties between Australia and China. As part of the trip, Albanese held long-awaited talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. O’Connor recently expressed fears over their recent provocations, including live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea that were done without any warning. This effective soft power approach to U.S.-China relations seeks to shore up an otherwise fraught diplomatic relationship.
Albanese’s visit focused on a number of economic issues including joint trade and tourism initiatives, especially in high-value sectors like medical technology. His trip to Chengdu deepened economic ties. It was a demonstration of Australia’s long-term commitment to environmental conservation, in particular our commitment to the welfare of the pandas themselves.
As he capped off his tour, Albanese happily recounted a long-ago experience of feeding a panda at a zoo. This experience drove home his personal connection to the endangered species. His escort at the breeding center explained that pandas are considered “old” by 20 years. Yet this underscores the vital need for conservation efforts.
Diplomatic Engagement with Xi Jinping
The meeting between the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and President Xi Jinping laid out how the two nations would tackle the big issues straining the bilateral relationship. Albanese made an important point when he criticized China’s recent series of provocative live-fire military exercises in the Tasman Sea. To be clear, these exercises happened with no public warning.
At the quasi-judicial International Maritime Organization meeting, Albanese was firm that these drills need to be conducted in accordance with international law. He emphasized, “We want a strong, respectful relationship, but that respect has to cut both ways.” This statement captures the Australian government’s intent to balance staying accessible and open with a free flow of information with acknowledging and responding to national security concerns.
Albanese’s meeting with Xi was intended to calm the stormy bilateral relationship between Australia and its most important trading partner, China. “The relationship is stabilised but that doesn’t mean there aren’t challenges within the relationship,” Albanese noted, stressing the importance of ongoing dialogues.
Political opposition leaders have criticized the outcomes of Albanese’s new diplomatic approach. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley urged the government in the strongest possible terms. She strongly criticized them for accepting weaker guarantees from China on military operations that would impact Australian airspace.
“Of course, we want to see more trade and tourism, I am disappointed there wasn’t an assurance that we wouldn’t have a repeat of that circumnavigation of our coastline, live-firing exercises,” – Sussan Ley
Ley’s comments reflect broader concerns among Australian lawmakers regarding national security and the implications of China’s military maneuvers.
Economic Links and Future Prospects
There was more to Albanese’s trip to Chengdu than inspiring conservation efforts. It was intended to deepen Australia’s economic relationship with China. In her speech, the Prime Minister highlighted the opportunities for joint working in fields such as medical technology. With a growing middle class and demand for diverse industries, Chengdu offers a wealth of opportunities for Australian business.
Richard Marles, Australia’s Defence Minister, recently admitted the difficulty of navigating the Australia-China relationship. Engagement has been shown to pay off. “Engagement with China matters, and what is a complex and challenging relationship to manage has benefited from that engagement,” he stated.
Marles highlighted that while ongoing discussions are vital, there still exist significant challenges within this relationship, which must be addressed transparently. “We operate in our national interest, and we work with China on the basis of trying our best to understand what they are doing in respect to their national interest,” he added.
“They need to be more substantial than a review of the China-Australia Free Trade agreement,” she emphasized.
Political Reactions and Future Implications
As Albanese’s tour came to an end, political responses were performing a similar 180-turn. Though many lauded the diplomatic approach his government initially adopted, many expressed doubt as to whether it would work. Ley reiterated her criticisms of Albanese’s handling of national security matters. She encouraged him to be much more direct and plain spoken with voters once he comes back.
“It’s not good enough.” – Sussan Ley
Ley’s statement reflects an increasingly worried mood for many Australians. They are looking for more robust guarantees around national security as Australia faces its own fraught history with China.
Michaelia Cash criticized Albanese’s focus during the visit, urging prioritization of Australia’s alliance with the United States. “Where is our trade deal with the United States?” she asked, suggesting that deeper ties with America’s leadership should not be overlooked.
