Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, starting the first visit to China by a leader of his country in seven years, said yesterday it was “in all our interests” to have a bilateral relationship with dialogue and cooperation.
Australia will continue to work constructively with China, he said in a short speech to the annual China International Import Expo in Shanghai, which was opened by Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強).
Albanese is the first Australian leader to visit China since 2016, part of an effort to patch up relations that had deteriorated over several years due to disputes over Chinese telecoms firm Huawei Technologies Co (華為), espionage and COVID-19.
Photo: EPA-EFE
After the speech, addressing media alongside Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell, Albanese said he welcomed Li’s comments at the Expo and described them as “very positive.”
Li said China will further expand market access and imports.
Farrell said after meeting with his Chinese counterpart on Saturday he expected impediments on Australian seafood and red meat products to be removed “in a very short space of time.”
Albanese, in his speech, described the relationship between the two countries as “mature” and said it was “energized by the complementary nature of our economies.”
“Along with the other economies in our region, Australia and China have prospered thanks to the certainty and stability that is made possible by rules-based trade,” Albanese said, according to an official transcript.
Albanese’s government has worked to stabilize ties with China since taking office last year, and China has lifted most trade blocks imposed in a 2020 diplomatic dispute that cost A$20 billion (US$13 billion) in commodity and food exports.
“We continue to highly value the World Trade Organisation, whose role as an independent and respected umpire benefits us all,” Albanese said.
Albanese is to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) today, where the prime minister has said he would raise concerns over rising tensions in the South China Sea.
On arriving in Shanghai late on Saturday, Albanese said it was in Australia’s interests to have a positive and constructive dialogue with its major trading partner.
The Taiwanese passport ranked 33rd in a global listing of passports by convenience this month, rising three places from last month’s ranking, but matching its position in January last year. The Henley Passport Index, an international ranking of passports by the number of designations its holder can travel to without a visa, showed that the Taiwan passport enables holders to travel to 139 countries and territories without a visa. Singapore’s passport was ranked the most powerful with visa-free access to 192 destinations out of 227, according to the index published on Tuesday by UK-based migration investment consultancy firm Henley and Partners. Japan’s and
NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT: An official said that Guan Guan’s comments had gone beyond the threshold of free speech, as she advocated for the destruction of the ROC China-born media influencer Guan Guan’s (關關) residency permit has been revoked for repeatedly posting pro-China content that threatens national security, the National Immigration Agency said yesterday. Guan Guan has said many controversial things in her videos posted to Douyin (抖音), including “the red flag will soon be painted all over Taiwan” and “Taiwan is an inseparable part of China,” while expressing hope for expedited “reunification.” The agency received multiple reports alleging that Guan Guan had advocated for armed reunification last year. After investigating, the agency last month issued a notice requiring her to appear and account for her actions. Guan Guan appeared as required,
Japan and the Philippines yesterday signed a defense pact that would allow the tax-free provision of ammunition, fuel, food and other necessities when their forces stage joint training to boost deterrence against China’s growing aggression in the region and to bolster their preparation for natural disasters. Japan has faced increasing political, trade and security tensions with China, which was angered by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remark that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would be a survival-threatening situation for Japan, triggering a military response. Japan and the Philippines have also had separate territorial conflicts with Beijing in the East and South China
A strong cold air mass is expected to arrive tonight, bringing a change in weather and a drop in temperature, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The coldest time would be early on Thursday morning, with temperatures in some areas dipping as low as 8°C, it said. Daytime highs yesterday were 22°C to 24°C in northern and eastern Taiwan, and about 25°C to 28°C in the central and southern regions, it said. However, nighttime lows would dip to about 15°C to 16°C in central and northern Taiwan as well as the northeast, and 17°C to 19°C elsewhere, it said. Tropical Storm Nokaen, currently
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