Don Farrell has become the first Australian trade minister to visit China since 2019, touching down in Beijing on Thursday afternoon.
Key points:
- Senator Farrell hoped for a pathway for China to drop all major restrictions on Australian imports
- He will meet with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, and other senior political leaders during the two-day visit
- The Albanese government last month agreed to suspend a World Trade Organisation
Senator Farrell was met at Beijing International Airport by Australia's ambassador, Graham Fletcher.
As momentum grows on a potential reset of relations with Australia's largest trading partner, senator Farrell said he hoped for a pathway for China to drop all major restrictions on Australian imports by the end of the year.
"We're here to continue the process of stabilising our trading relationship with China, to the benefit of our two great nations," he said.
"Since February, we've made progress on a range of products that includes coal, cotton, and other products, and of course, we're making progress in terms of the issue of barley.
"The issues didn't occur overnight and they're not going to be resolved overnight. What I'd like to come back to Australia with is a pathway to resolve all of those outstanding issues."
Senator Farrell said there was goodwill on both sides but more work needed to be done.
Loading...He will meet with Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, as well as other senior political leaders and Australian business representatives during the two-day visit.
"Our national interest and our national security will always be Labor's most important issue, but there's no reason why we can't progress our national security and our national interest, but also continue our trading relationship.
"Nothing's going to do more to achieve peace in our region than strong trading relationships between Australia and China."
Senator Farrell will also hold talks with Australian Chamber of Commerce China board members before visiting a local shopping area on Thursday evening.
He has flagged inviting his Chinese counterpart to his family's South Australian vineyard on a reciprocal visit.
This week's talks in Beijing follows Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping at November's G20 summit in Indonesia, and a visit by Foreign Minister Penny Wong to Beijing in December.
About $20 billion worth of exports of Australian wine, barley and other goods have been held up in the damaging trade dispute with Beijing.
The Albanese government last month agreed to suspend a World Trade Organisation dispute with China over bans on Australian barley imports, prompting a three-month review by Beijing, which could be a precursor to the end of restrictions.
China and Australia shared two-way goods trade worth $287 billion in 2022, representing 28 per cent of Australia's total goods trade with the world.
Senator Farrell said he would raise human rights issues and the ongoing detention of journalist Cheng Lei and author Yang Hengjun.
As part of the trip senator Farrell will help chair the 16th Joint Ministerial Economic Commission with minister Wang. The commission was last held in Beijing in 2017.
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2023-05-11 10:24:10Z
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