Australia’s top diplomat makes first China trip in years

SYDNEY: Australia´s top diplomat will visit China on Tuesday, the first such trip by an Australian foreign minister in four years and a sign of further thawing ties.

Canberra said Penny Wong will visit Beijing to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and meet Chinese state councilor and minister of foreign affairs, Wang Yi. “Australia seeks a stable relationship with China; we will cooperate where we can, disagree where we must and engage in the national interest,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said announcing the visit.

The last official visit to Beijing by an Australian foreign minister was in 2018. Since then, once-excellent relations have nosedived. The two countries have sparred over political and moral issues -- notably Chinese influence operations overseas; widespread rights abuses in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet; and America´s role in the Asia-Pacific region.