The Australian Prime Minister will visit China in November to thaw relations that were once icy

Canberra announced on Sunday that the Australian prime minister would go to China in early November to meet with President Xi Jinping as the two trade partners try to mend their once icy ties. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arranged the trip, which will take place from November 4 to November 7, after China agreed to halt a lingering WTO dispute brought on by high duties on Australian wine.

It also comes following the release of Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who was expelled from China earlier this month after spending three years in custody on politically charged espionage allegations.

In a statement, Albanese said, “I look forward to visiting China, an important step towards ensuring a stable and fruitful relationship.” “I appreciate the strides we’ve made toward reintroducing Australian goods, including wine, to the Chinese market.” The highly anticipated visit would be the Australian prime minister’s first to China since 2016.

– TARIFF CONTROVERSY –

At the height of a contentious battle with Australia’s previous conservative government, China flexed its economic power in 2020 by imposing tariffs on important Australian commodities like barley, cattle, and wine. Additionally, it stopped the importation of some of Australia’s most important commodities, notably coal, which reduced commerce by billions of dollars.

Australia’s rules excluding Huawei from 5G contracts and its demand for an impartial probe into the causes of the Covid-19 epidemic have infuriated China. Following the election of Australia’s center-left government in May of last year, many of those trade obstacles have gradually been removed.

China decided to begin importing shipments of Australian coal this year and has removed tariffs on Australian barley and wood imports. China would perform a “expedited review” of its duties on Australian wine during the next five months, according to Albanese.

If “the duties are not removed at the end of the review,” he said, Australia has vowed to renew its objections to the WTO.

– REDUCING TENSIONS

Diplomatic gains have also been made, with China agreeing earlier this month to release Australian journalist Cheng, a former anchor for the Chinese state broadcaster CGTN. Australia’s government has long called for China to respect “basic standards of justice, procedural fairness, and humane treatment” in order to secure her release.

China’s post-Covid recovery seems to be losing speed, and growth is weakening, according to recent economic statistics issued by Beijing. This puts pressure on the conditions of China’s international trade agreements.

As Chinese President Xi has adopted a more practical diplomatic stance with foreign allies, tensions with Canberra have begun to ease. In a meeting with Albanese outside the G20 conference in Indonesia in November 2022, Xi had urged “improvement” in ties with Australia.