Australian, Chinese leaders talk as ties improve despite disagreements

The leaders of Australia and China joked about the relative cuteness of pandas and Tasmanian devils on Monday in a largely symbolic meeting that reflected the ongoing upswing in relations between the two countries after several years of acrimony and division.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was making the first visit by an Australian leader to China in seven years in a sign of both how low relations fell and how they have begun to stabilize.

He and Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed the gradual improvement in ties in the past year and emphasized the importance of engaging with each other despite differences on issues such as defense.

China, a major market for Australia, has lifted some trade restrictions on Australian products since the two leaders first met in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2022.

“The progress we have made in advancing our relationship over that time has been unquestionably very positive,” Albanese said in opening remarks to Xi before the media. “Trade is flowing more freely to the benefit of both countries.”

Xi said that both sides had resumed exchanges of views and worked out some problems.

“The China-Australia relationship has embarked on the right path of improvement and development,” Xi said. “I’m heartened to see that.”

Albanese said he would meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang today before returning to Australia.

Relations nosedived in recent years as suspicions of Chinese interference in Australian politics increased. China, in turn, was angered by Australia’s call for an inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 virus.

China levied tariffs and unofficial trade barriers that are estimated to have cost Australian exporters up to $13 billion a year for products such as coal, wine, beef, barley and lobsters.

Those barriers have since been substantially reduced and now cost about $1.3 billion. China has signaled that it is moving toward lifting punishing tariffs on Australian wine that dealt a severe setback to the industry.

“We even had a bit of a debate about wine and the quality,” Albanese told reporters.

He said that Xi had said during their meeting that he had visited New Zealand and been told how good the wines are there. “I asserted Australia’s pre-eminence when it comes to quality red wine,” Albanese said.

Xi also talked about his visits to Australia, and described Tasmanian devils as cute, the Australian leader said. When Albanese said that they probably weren’t as cute as pandas, Xi replied that not all pandas were cute, citing the Kung Fu Panda movie.