Chinese ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian lavishes new Labor govt with praise
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Is this the END of Australia’s dispute with China? Senior official lavishes praise for a more pro-Beijing Labor government, gleefully sipping a glass of red wine
- Ambassador Xiao Qian said China was open to cooperation with Australia
- Xiao said the two nations will work to resolve differences, including trade disputes.
- He affirmed the choice of Anthony Albanese as a catalyst in rebuilding relations.
The Chinese ambassador to Australia thanked the Labor government for an “extraordinary year” and hinted at China’s willingness to rebuild relations.
Xiao Qian told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday that the past 12 months have been a “positive, constructive and productive” period.
Xiao said the communist superpower was open to cooperation following the election of Anthony Albanese as prime minister and the end of the coalition government.
“The first key word is the Labor government,” Xiao said.
“The Labor government came to parliament last May, offered an opportunity for China and Australia to restore the relationship between our two countries, which had been going through a difficult time in recent years.”
Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian raised a glass of wine at the New Year’s press meeting in Canberra (pictured), thanking the new Labor government for an “extraordinary year”, prompting China’s willingness to to rebuild relationships.
The ambassador raised a glass of wine at the New Year’s press meeting, explaining that the meetings between Albanese and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s visit to Beijing helped mend the relations.
Xiao added that both sides will not allow “difference to hijack” the relationship, but conceded that disputes over areas such as trade must be resolved “constructively.”
“This relationship is important to both parties and both parties should work together to improve, maintain and develop the relationship,” Xiao said.
Both parties agree to address these differences constructively. [and] in a way that doesn’t allow differences to take over the overall relationship.’
The ambassador explained that China was willing to work with Australia to address climate change, calling green energy and electric cars ‘new frontiers’.
Mr. Xiao explained that meetings between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) helped mend relations. As the two countries focus on tackling climate change, with green energy and electric cars
In recent years, relations between the nations have been strained, with China imposing trade sanctions of $20 billion a year in 2020.
Australian barley, beef, coal, copper, cotton, shellfish, sugar, timber and wine were banned after Scott Morrison’s government called for an independent international inquiry into its handling of the pandemic of covid by Beijing.
The World Trade Organization’s findings on Australia’s barley and wine sanctions will be published later this year.