Australian to send delegation to China for resuming talks on strengthening relations

Australia intends to send a delegation comprising political figures and representatives from various sectors including industry, education, media, and the arts to Beijing next week to resume a dialogue with their Chinese counterparts in an effort to enhance relations between the two countries, as announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Canberra on Saturday. 

The office of Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated in a press release that the delegation will discuss various topics in China, including trade, investments, communication, as well as regional and international security issues. 

Such delegations have been visiting China annually since 2014 but ceased these visits starting in 2020. 

Wong stated in the press release that the visit represents "an additional step to strengthen bilateral engagement and achieve stability in our relationship with China." 

The delegation will be led by former Australian Minister for Trade Craig Emerson and includes former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop. 

Emerson mentioned that this dialogue has been "an opportunity to enhance mutual understanding with Chinese participants and find common ground." 

The resumption of dialogue marks another indicator of a warming in relations between Beijing and Canberra after years of tension. 

Several Australian actions, including legislation against foreign influence, banning Huawei from contracts for developing 5G networks, and calling for an independent investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, had previously angered China. 

However, relations have taken a different course since the center-left government took power in Australia last year, adopting a more moderate approach towards China. 

AFP