Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham is traveling to China today in a sign that political tensions between the two countries might be easing.
Birmingham, the first senior Australian government official to visit China in a year, is to attend the China International Import Expo, seen as an attempt by Beijing to allay foreign concern about its trade practices.
Relations between Australia and the world’s No. 2 economy have been at low ebb over accusations of China’s influence in Australia’s media, universities and politics, and its use of loans to build leverage over South Pacific island nations.
In August, Australia banned Huawei Technologies Co Ltd (華為) from supplying equipment for a 5G mobile network citing national security risks, a move the Chinese telecoms gear maker criticized as being “politically motivated.”
However, China remains Australia’s top goods and services trading partner, accounting for 24 percent, or A$183.4 billion (US$132 billion), of total trade last year, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade data show.
Birmingham yesterday said in a statement that Australia’s “high-level” delegation, which includes representation from state and territory governments, “reflects our ongoing commitment to our relationship with China.”
The minister’s press office said the hope is that Birmingham would meet with Chinese Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan (鍾山) while in Shanghai.
Later in the week, Birmingham is to visit Hong Kong, where he is expected to meet with Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau (邱騰華) “to move forward negotiations on the Australia-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) is expected to open the expo with a speech tomorrow.
No officials from the US, China’s top trading partner, are to attend, although leaders from 18 countries and thousands of foreign companies are to be present.
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