China-Australia ties getting back on track as top diplomats meet in Beijing

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - The 50th anniversary of China-Australia diplomatic relations on Wednesday saw a renewed attempt to put the bilateral ties on track after the two countries' foreign ministers met in Beijing.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong flew to Beijing on Tuesday to resume the Australia-China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue, which was last held in 2018.

“The meeting is another step forward as we stabilize the relationship between our two countries,” Wong tweeted after the nearly 100-minute 6th Australia-China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue.

Wang Yi, state councilor and foreign minister, represented the Chinese side.

The two countries bilateral relations nosedived under former Prime Minister Scott Morrison as Australia joined Western allies in calling for an investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as launching AUKUS, a trilateral nuclear cooperation with the UK and US.

Morrison met with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Bangkok for the last official annual meeting of the two countries’ leaders in Nov. 2019.

Moreover, Australia has also joined the so-called Quad, which is led by Washington and includes Japan and India. It is a loose security alliance aimed to counter China’s expanding military and economic influence in the wider Asia-Pacific region.

In response, Beijing imposed trade restrictions on Australian exports throughout last year and into 2020.

The two countries' bilateral trade volume is over $200 billion.

- 'Dialogue enables managing differences better'

China and Australia established diplomatic relations in 1972, when then-Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam “took a bold decision, recognizing the importance of engagement and cooperation between our two nations and peoples,” Wong said ahead of her trip to Beijing.

“Australia believes we can grow our bilateral relationship and uphold our national interests if both countries navigate our differences wisely. I raised several issues of importance to Australia, including consular matters, trade blockages, human rights and regional security,” she said regarding her meeting with Wang.

"We also talked about the future of Australia-China ties. This included the possibility of a further dialogue in several areas such as consular affairs, trade, climate change, defense and regional issues,” Wong said after Wednesday’s meeting, as the two countries celebrate their 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

50 years ago, said Wong, "in a time of great power competition, Gough Whitlam observed that close cooperation between our two peoples is both natural and beneficial."

“Today, we again find ourselves facing great challenges - dialogue enables us to manage these better,” Wong added.

​​​​​​- Trade, climate change, defense

A joint statement released by Beijing said the two sides “reiterated the importance of a stable, constructive relationship to both sides, the region and the world.”

Wang and Wong “agreed” to a relationship based on mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit, and “navigating differences, in keeping with our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.”

Beijing and Canberra agreed to maintain high-level engagement and to initiate or restart dialogue in areas such as bilateral relations, trade, and economic issues, consular affairs, climate change, defense, and regional and international issues, according to the statement.

On the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of bilateral relations with China, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had stated earlier in the day that Canberra desires a "stable relationship with China."

“We will cooperate where we can, disagree where we must and engage in the national interest,” he stated on Twitter.