CHINESE Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Australian counterparts on Wednesday that Australia and China are better off as partners than rivals.
The Chinese diplomat emphasized the importance of mutual respect and emphasized that Beijing has never interfered in Australia’s internal affairs.
The visit signaled warming relations between the two countries strained by years of trade war and shifting geopolitics.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong hailed the progress of ties between the two nations and used the opportunity to raise the detainment of Chinese-born Australian writer Dr. Yang Hengjun as well as Hong Kong’s national security reforms
This is the first time the Chinese diplomat visited Australia since 2017.
Wang Yi’s visit to Australia comes a day after he visited New Zealand which started on Sunday.
The Chinese envoy conveyed Beijing’s willingness to actively implement the upgraded Free Trade Agreement with New Zealand.
New Zealand for its part showed a desire to strengthen ties with Beijing and its support for the one-China principle.
