China’s Xi Vows to Work with Australia for Sustainable Ties

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Australian counterpart exchanged congratulations. This is the most recent indication of improving relations between the two major trading partners.

Xi reportedly delivered notes to Governor General David Hurley and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday, according to state broadcaster China Central Television.

According to CCTV, Xi stated that China was eager to cooperate with Australia to further the sustainable development of bilateral ties and that both countries would benefit from a strong and stable diplomatic partnership.

A diplomatic reset with China has been triggered by the election of the center-left Labor government in Australia in May, mending relations that had been strained under the previous prime minister, Scott Morrison.

Morrison's requests for an international probe into the origins of COVID-19 infuriated the Chinese government in April 2020. On a variety of Australian goods, including wine, barley, and beef, it later imposed trade sanctions.

Both parties have held numerous high-level ministerial meetings since Morrison's electoral defeat, including discussions between Albanese and Xi in November at the Group of 20 conference.

In Twitter post on Wednesday, Albanese said Australia wanted to have a “stable relationship” with China.

“We will cooperate where we can, disagree where we must and engage in the national interest,” the Australian leader said.