America’s most trustworthy ally in the region wishes for a greater mutual understanding with Beijing.
Last week, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited China. On Monday, November 6th, Albanese described his recent high-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping as “very successful.” Xi also welcomed Albanese’s visit, heralding it as the dawn of a new era in Sino-Australian relations. During their meeting in the Great Hall of the People, they discussed future interactions, with Albanese extending an invitation for Xi to visit Australia and receiving an invitation for a return visit to China. Their discussions touched on various contentious issues, including human rights, tensions regarding Taiwan, and trade bans on Australian exports, which once amounted to $20 billion. Albanese conveyed Australia’s position firmly, emphasizing a principles-based approach instead of power politics.
The Australian Prime Minister is not naive, though. While acknowledging that Xi had consistently acted on his word, Albanese refrained from explicitly stating his trust in the Chinese leader, perhaps influenced by recent advice from U.S. President Joe Biden to “trust but verify” when dealing with the Chinese government. Australia’s government has pursued a patient approach to improve its relationship with Beijing following a period of diplomatic strain.
