China’s President Xi approaches Australia
Tensions between the two states began when Australia called for an international inquiry into the origin of the coronavirus and Beijing’s handling of the outbreak in April 2020.
(Photo: via REUTERS)
Beijing Against the background of strained relations is China’s president Xi Jinping on Australia received. “I attach great importance to the development of Sino-Australian relations and I am willing to work with Australia,” Xi Jinping said in a message marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, according to China’s state news agency Xinhua on Wednesday.
The healthy and stable development of relations is in the fundamental interest of both countries, the Chinese head of state continued. Also on Wednesday, Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong arrived in Beijing to meet her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi. It was the first high-level visit from Australia since the start of the corona pandemic.
Tensions between the two states began when Australia called for an international inquiry into the origin of the coronavirus and Beijing’s handling of the outbreak in April 2020.
Since then, China has imposed various punitive tariffs on Australian exports. Australia withdrew from some projects of the Chinese “New Silk Road” initiative.
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The relationship between the two countries is also tense because of Australia’s security cooperation with the USA. Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who worked for China’s state television, has also been in Chinese custody for more than two years for alleged espionage.
In mid-November, Xi Jinping and Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met on the sidelines of the Group of Large Economic Nations (G20) summit in Bali, Indonesia, for the first top-level meeting between China and Australia in six years.
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