Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) yesterday committed to an Antarctic cooperation deal with Australia, while fulfilling a long-held dream to visit the nation’s smallest state in a trip which included a close encounter with a Tasmanian devil.
Xi backed using Australia, particularly Tasmania, as a gateway to the frozen continent in an agreement with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott in the state’s capital, Hobart, where China’s Antarctic program’s flagship Xue Long is docked.
The memorandum of understanding also reaffirmed China’s vow to respect the icy region as a natural reserve that will not be exploited, while committing the two countries to collaborate on scientific projects.
Photo: EPA
The deal came three decades after China’s first expedition to Antarctica, and follows reports last month of plans to build an airfield there to support its four research stations.
About 30 nations operate permanent research stations in Antarctica including the US, Russia, Australia, Britain, France and Argentina, with Hobart, which is home to the Australian Antarctic Division, a key shipping gateway to the area.
The inking capped a whirlwind trip to the so-called Apple Isle by the Chinese leader, who has visited every other Australian state and territory and joked on Monday that he should receive a certificate for his travels across the country.
Tasmanians have been enthusiastic about Xi’s visit, with the Chinese leader’s picture splashed across the front-page of the Mercury newspaper, which welcomed him in Mandarin and English.
“Your visit to Hobart is a significant step in the relationship between us; one which has been built on a spirit of friendship and mutual respect,” it said.
Xi said he chose to visit the southern state following the G20 summit in Brisbane on the weekend after receiving a letter from primary-school students in Launceston in the state’s north.
“In their letter, they describe Tasmania’s unique products and beautiful scenery; they hand-wrote the letter in Chinese,” Xi said in his address to the Australian parliament in Canberra on Monday. “And their words have filled me with curiosity.”
Scotch Oakburn College principal Andy Muller said his students were thrilled about their meeting with the president and that it was “one of the most exciting days of their lives.”
“The president invited them to come to China to visit, sightsee and study, and the students are all very motivated to continue with their Chinese and go over there,” he said.
Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan (彭麗媛), were warmly welcomed when they touched down in Hobart and were introduced to three orphaned baby Tasmanian devils, the black, furry native animal named for the state.
Dozens of Xi supporters waving flags and banners also gathered outside the state’s government house and at Hobart wharf where the agreement was penned.
Tasmania became the sister state of China’s Fujian Province in 1980 where Xi previously served as governor.
EUROPEAN FUTURE? Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama says only he could secure EU membership, but challenges remain in dealing with corruption and a brain drain Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama seeks to win an unprecedented fourth term, pledging to finally take the country into the EU and turn it into a hot tourist destination with some help from the Trump family. The artist-turned-politician has been pitching Albania as a trendy coastal destination, which has helped to drive up tourism arrivals to a record 11 million last year. US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, also joined in the rush, pledging to invest US$1.4 billion to turn a largely deserted island into a luxurious getaway. Rama is expected to win another term after yesterday’s vote. The vote would
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
Myanmar’s junta chief met Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) for the first time since seizing power, state media reported yesterday, the highest-level meeting with a key ally for the internationally sanctioned military leader. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing led a military coup in 2021, overthrowing Myanmar’s brief experiment with democracy and plunging the nation into civil war. In the four years since, his armed forces have battled dozens of ethnic armed groups and rebel militias — some with close links to China — opposed to its rule. The conflict has seen Min Aung Hlaing draw condemnation from rights groups and pursued by the
RSS