Chinese language Overseas Minister Wang Yi waves on the finish of a press convention on the sidelines of the Nationwide Folks’s Congress (NPC), in Beijing, China March 7, 2024. REUTERS FILE PHOTO
SYDNEY — China’s prime diplomat, Overseas Minister Wang Yi, will go to Australia subsequent week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese mentioned on Thursday, an indication of an extra thaw in relations after years of tensions.
“I look ahead to assembly Wang Yi throughout his go to to Canberra subsequent week,” Albanese mentioned throughout a televised media briefing. “It’s a great factor that Wang Yi is visiting, it’s a great factor to have dialogue.”
Albanese mentioned “vital progress” had been made in current months to take away commerce impediments with China, Australia’s largest buying and selling accomplice.
READ: Australia and China: rocky highway again to commerce and visits
Australia’s diplomatic relations with China had been severely strained since 2018 when the earlier conservative authorities banned Huawei from offering gear through the rollout of its 5G community. Ties soured additional after Canberra known as for an unbiased investigation into the origin of COVID-19.
China responded by imposing tariffs on a number of Australian commodities. It has been lifting most commerce blocks since Albanese’s Labor authorities got here to energy two years in the past.
READ: China’s wine market able to welcome return of Aussie wine as ties enhance
Australia’s prime publicly listed winemaker Treasury Wine Estates on Tuesday mentioned China’s Ministry of Commerce has launched an interim proposal to take away tariffs on Australian wine, elevating hopes practically three years of stiff duties would quickly finish.
“That may be a optimistic improvement,” Albanese mentioned, including wine exports to China have been value greater than A$1 billion ($662 million) yearly earlier than tariffs have been enforced. He mentioned he was assured these restrictions can be lifted.
Australia Overseas Minister Penny Wong is predicted to lift consular issues, commerce impediments, human rights, battle prevention and regional safety throughout her talks with Wang Yi subsequent Wednesday.
“It’s Australia’s view {that a} steady bilateral relationship would allow each nations to pursue respective nationwide pursuits, if we navigate our variations correctly,” Wong mentioned in an announcement.
The final time a Chinese language overseas minister visited Australia was in 2017.
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