US visit done, PM Anthony Albanese prepares to meet with China’s Xi

Kat Wong
Oct 28, 2023, updated Oct 28, 2023

Anthony Albanese, who has worked to repair relations with China, hopes the meeting with Xi Jinping will open a new era. Photo: TND

Off the back of a diplomatic trip to the US, the Prime Minister has his eyes set on Beijing with the hopes of stabilising the Australia-China relationship.

Anthony Albanese has returned to Australia after meeting with President Joe Biden, congressional leaders and senior government officials in Washington.

With one world superpower meeting out of the way, Mr Albanese has just over a week to prepare for the next as he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In a speech to the US State Department on Friday, Mr Albanese talked up the importance of maintaining peace in the Taiwan Strait and investing in relationships as China emerges as the “test of our time”.

‘Significant security anxiety’

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles noted Australia had a complex relationship with China and needed to act carefully.

“China is a source of significant security anxiety for Australia,” he told Nine’s Today show.

“They’re also our largest trading partner and because of that complexity we need to have diplomatic processes in place.

“We need to be able to interact with China and we need to be able to stabilise the relationship with China, but we do this very much with our eyes wide open.”

The trip comes weeks after Beijing struck a deal with Canberra that could end tariffs on Australian wine exports, worth $1.2 billion, and potentially resolve similar barriers imposed on lobster and beef.

Earlier this month, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet also confirmed it would not cancel a lease on the Port of Darwin, held by a Chinese company, after a review found it was “not necessary”.

“We’re in a much better situation now than we were in May of last year,” Mr Marles said.