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☆ Philippines, Australia start sea, air patrols in South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Earvin Perias/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMANILA, Nov 25 (Reuters) - The Philippines and Australia began their first joint sea and air patrols in the South China Sea on Saturday, days after Manila took similar steps with the U.S. as Pacific nations warily eye an increasingly assertive China. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei. The Philippines is ramping up efforts to counter what it describes as China's "aggressive activities" in the South China Sea, which has also become a flashpoint for Chinese and U.S. tensions around naval operations. The patrols will be carried out in the West Philippine Sea, said Philippine Department of National Defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong, using Manila's term for waters in the South China Sea that fall within its exclusive economic zone. China has accused the Philippines of enlisting "foreign forces" to patrol the South China Sea and stirring up trouble.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Anthony Albanese, Earvin, China's, Richard Marles, Marcos, Marles, Arsenio Andolong, Karen Lema, William Mallard Organizations: Australia's, Rights, Australia, ., Philippine, Australian Defence Force, Armed Forces, Philippine Department of National Defense, South China, Toowoomba, Cooperative, Thomson Locations: Manila, Philippines, Rights MANILA, South, China, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, South China, U.S, West Philippine, Philippine, United, Taiwan, West Philippine Sea

☆ Australia Welcomes Israel-Hamas Ceasefire as 'Important Progress'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-24 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday a truce in the Israel-Hamas war marked "important progress" in the conflict, as he welcomed the release of hostages by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. Hamas fighters released 24 hostages on Friday during the first day of the war's first ceasefire after guns fell silent in the Gaza Strip for the first time in seven weeks. "Australia welcomes the release of hostages and the pause in hostilities to allow humanitarian access to Gaza," Albanese said on social media platform X. "Today’s developments represent important progress and Australia welcomes them." In Australia, the conflict has triggered protests from both Jewish and Palestinian groups, with thousands turning out for rallies in the country's largest cities.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Albanese, " Albanese, Sam McKeith, Daniel Wallis Organizations: SYDNEY, Australia's, Palestinian, Hamas Locations: Israel, Gaza, Australia, Sydney

☆ Safety of Defence Personnel 'Utmost Priority', Australia Says After China Warship Incident
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The safety and wellbeing of Australian defence personnel is Canberra's "utmost priority" and Australia expects all countries to operate militaries in a safe and professional manner, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Tuesday. Wong's comments came a week after an incident involving a Chinese warship and an Australian navy vessel in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in which an Australian military diver was injured. HMAS Toowoomba - a long-range frigate - was conducting a diving operation on Nov. 14 to clear fishing nets from its propellers when the Chinese warship acted in a dangerous manner, Australia has said. India's relations with China have deteriorated since a 2020 border clash between their militaries in which 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops were killed. Australia, she added, "will cooperate where we can, we will disagree where we must, and we will engage in our national interest".

Persons: Penny Wong, Wong's, Anthony Albanese's, Wong, Subrahmanyam, Richard Marles, YP Rajesh, Krishn Kaushik, Sharon Singleton Organizations: PLA Navy, Liberation Army Navy, PLA, Defence, Indian, YP Locations: DELHI, Australian, Japan's, New Delhi, Toowoomba, Australia, Beijing, Canberra, Ningbo, China, India

☆ Australia PM says Chinese navy incident that injured diver was 'dangerous'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Loren Elliott/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a Chinese warship acted in a dangerous and unprofessional manner during an incident with an Australian navy vessel that injured a military diver, his first comments on the matter which he said had damaged ties. In an interview on Monday with Sky News Australia, Albanese said the incident caused injury to one person and shows the need for "communication guardrails" between militaries. "This was dangerous, it was unsafe and unprofessional from the Chinese warship," he said. A People's Liberation Army Navy destroyer closed towards HMAS Toowoomba, despite the Australian vessel notifying the Chinese warship of a diving operation, and operated its hull-mounted sonar in a manner that posed a safety risk, Marles previously said. The Chinese embassy in Australia did not respond to a request for comment.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Anthony Albanese, Loren Elliott, Richard Marles, Albanese, Xi, we've, Marles, Kirsty Needham, Lincoln Organizations: Australia's, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, Rights, HMAS, Defence, Sky News Australia, APEC, Liberation Army Navy, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, Australian, HMAS Toowoomba, San Francisco, China, Australia

☆ Australian leader Albanese accuses Chinese navy of ‘dangerous’ conduct
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Nectar Gan | Brad Lendon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has accused the Chinese navy of “dangerous, unsafe and unprofessional” conduct after an incident in international waters near Japan, marking a potential friction point with Beijing weeks after he visited the Chinese capital to stabilize relations. Australian divers aboard the long-range frigate HMAS Toowoomba were trying to clear fishing nets from its propellers on November 14 when a Chinese destroyer approached, Defense Minister Richard Marles said in a statement Saturday. Despite being warned that a diving operation was underway, the Chinese destroyer operated its sonar in a manner that “posed a risk to the safety of the Australian divers,” the statement said. In the Sky News interview, Albanese sidestepped a question on whether the incident will make bilateral relations “look shaky” now. And this is one of those times where we disagree with the action of China,” Albanese said.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Richard Marles, Albanese, ” Albanese, Xi Jinping, “, ”, “ We’ve, Marles, Ray Powell, SeaLight, Powell, ” Powell Organizations: CNN, Australian, Defense, Sky News, APEC, China’s Defense Ministry, Liberation Army Navy, PLA Navy, Military, United, “ Defense, National Security, Stanford University, US Air Force Locations: Japan, Beijing, Toowoomba, Chinese, China, San Fransisco, London, United Nations, Australia, East, South China, South, Canada, Australian

"We will continue working to better facilitate high-standard trade that advances workers' rights through strong enforcement of labor standards." Biden was also to take part on Thursday in an event for the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), a 14-nation group his administration established. Hopes for an IPEF trade deal were dashed this week. Asked how long an IPEF trade agreement could take to conclude, an administration official said most negotiations take years but the White House intended to work on an "accelerated timeline." "A stable relationship between the world's two largest economies is not merely good for those two economies but for the world," Biden said to applause.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, White, Donald Trump, Republican Trump, Fumio Kishida, Xi Jinping, Justin Trudeau, Anthony Albanese, Dina Boluarte, Srettha Thavisin, Hassanal, Gina Raimondo, Xi, Trevor Hunnicutt, David Brunnstrom, Nandita Bose, Katharine Jackson, Andrea Shalal, Heather Timmons, Josie Kao, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: FRANCISCO, Asia, Economic Cooperation, Economic, Democrat, Republican, APEC, IMF, Amazon.com, Delta Air Lines, PepsiCo, Apple, Boeing, Japan's, Canada's, Australia's, Brunei's, Monetary Fund, . Commerce, Trans, Pacific, Trump, U.S, Thomson Locations: Pacific, San Francisco, Asia, ASIA, U.S, Thailand, China, United States

☆ Australia confident China will lift all trade blocks next month
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Flags of Australia and China are displayed in this illustration picture taken May 11, 2023. REUTERS/Florence Lo/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Australia said on Wednesday China could lift all its remaining trade blocks by next month as relations between the commodity trade partners stabilise and after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to Beijing earlier this month. China has lifted most trade blocks imposed amid a 2020 diplomatic dispute after Australia called for an inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. "I remain very confident ... that by Christmas all of these trade impediments will be removed," trade minister Don Farrell told ABC Radio from San Francisco, where he is attending Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings. Farrell said he hoped to resolve the issues over lobster and beef, which related to bio-security rules, ahead of a meeting with Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao in San Francisco.

Persons: Florence Lo, Anthony Albanese's, Don Farrell, Farrell, Wang Wentao, Renju Jose, Sam Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, China, ABC Radio, Economic Cooperation, Thomson Locations: Australia, China, Beijing, San Francisco, Asia, Sydney

☆ Australia to apologise half a century after 'Thalidomide tragedy'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Renju Jose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Thalidomide was the active ingredient in a sedative widely distributed to many mothers in Australia and around the world in the early 1960s. "The thalidomide tragedy is a dark chapter in the history of our nation and the world," Albanese said in a statement. An Australian woman, who was born without arms and legs after her mother took Thalidomide, in 2012 won a multi-million dollar settlement from Diageo Plc, the local distributor. In 2010, Diageo agreed to make an A$50 million ($32 million) payment to 45 victims in Australia and New Zealand. There are 146 Thalidomide survivors registered with the government, though the exact number of affected is unknown.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Joe Biden, Leah Millis, Thalidomide, " Albanese, Gruenenthal, Albanese, Renju Jose, Tom Hogue, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Australia’s, U.S, White, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, British, Diageo Plc, Diageo, New Zealand, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Australia, U.S, United States, Australian, New, Sydney

SYDNEY/BEIJING Nov 13 (Reuters) - Australia scored a significant win for influence in the Pacific Islands region with a trump card that China, seeking to expand security ties, doesn't have: the opportunity of resettlement. "It is something China can't do," said Australian National University Pacific expert Graeme Smith. "China can turn up and offer more infrastructure money... they can't turn up and offer this kind of resettlement relationship. Australia also will be able to block any policing deal between China and Tuvalu - as well as any telecommunications, energy or port deal - under its treaty. "Cooperation in the Pacific region tends to focus on non-traditional security, including maintenance of public security and infrastructure to deal with climate change," he added.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Kausea Natano, Graeme Smith, Richard Marles, Peter Dean, Smith, Wang Yiwei, Kirsty Needham, Martin Pollard, Miral Organizations: SYDNEY, Pacific, Australian National University Pacific, Pacific Islanders, Defence, United States Studies Centre, Albanese's, Pacific Games, State, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, Renmin University, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Australia, China, Tuvalu, Washington, Beijing, Rarotonga, Sydney, Pacific Islands, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, Kiribati, U.S, United States, Pacific

☆ Australia Foreign Minister Touts Tuvalu Security, Migration Pact
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Sunday that a security and migration pact signed with Tuvalu showed Australia was a "genuine, reliable" regional partner, as it seeks to counter China's influence in the Pacific. Australia announced on Friday the security guarantee to the tiny Pacific Islands nation to respond to military aggression, protect it from climate change and boost migration. Australia, a United States ally, has been working to shore up its Pacific standing amid a rising China, which recently upgraded a security pact with Solomon Islands. Under the treaty, announced in the Cook Islands by Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Tuvalu counterpart Kausea Natano, Australia will also vet Tuvalu's security arrangements with other nations. Albanese has called the pact Australia's most significant agreement with a Pacific Island nation, giving "a guarantee that upon a request from Tuvalu for any military assistance based upon security issues, Australia will be there."

Persons: Penny Wong, Wong, Anthony Albanese, Kausea Natano, Albanese, Sam McKeith, David Gregorio Organizations: SYDNEY, Australia's, Tuvalu, Pacific ., Australian Broadcasting Corp Locations: Australia, Pacific, Pacific . Australia, United States, China, Solomon, Tuvalu, Cook, Taiwan, Beijing, Hawaii, Sydney

☆ Australia foreign minister touts Tuvalu security, migration pact
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong addresses the 78th Session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York City, U.S., September 22, 2023. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Sunday that a security and migration pact signed with Tuvalu showed Australia was a "genuine, reliable" regional partner, as it seeks to counter China's influence in the Pacific. Australia announced on Friday the security guarantee to the tiny Pacific Islands nation to respond to military aggression, protect it from climate change and boost migration. Australia, a United States ally, has been working to shore up its Pacific standing amid a rising China, which recently upgraded a security pact with Solomon Islands. Under the treaty, announced in the Cook Islands by Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Tuvalu counterpart Kausea Natano, Australia will also vet Tuvalu's security arrangements with other nations.

Persons: Penny Wong, Eduardo Munoz, Wong, Anthony Albanese, Kausea Natano, Albanese, Sam McKeith, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Australia's, General Assembly, REUTERS, Rights, Tuvalu, Pacific ., Australian Broadcasting Corp, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Australia, Pacific, Pacific . Australia, United States, China, Solomon, Tuvalu, Cook, Taiwan, Beijing, Hawaii, Sydney

☆ No, 11,200 Climate Refugees Aren’t Heading to Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Natasha Frost | More About Natasha Frost | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Pacific island nation of Tuvalu once comprised 11 islands. For decades, Tuvalu’s leaders have warned about the effects of the world’s emissions on this tiny place. “It’s a matter of disappearing from the surface of this earth,” Kausea Natano, the prime minister, said in September on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. And so when Mr. Natano and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia announced a bipartisan agreement this week between their nations that would help Tuvalu mitigate the effects of climate change, many anticipated a wholesale offer of climate-based asylum for Tuvalu’s approximately 11,200 citizens. At least in the short term, the truth is rather less dramatic.

Persons: “, Kausea Natano, Natano, Anthony Albanese Organizations: United Nations General Assembly, Australia, Pacific, Forum Locations: Tuvalu, Tuvalu’s, Cook, Australia

☆ Australia signs security, migration pact with Pacific's Tuvalu
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A man riding a motorbike is seen reflected in a puddle of water in Funafuti, Tuvalu, August 13, 2019. Under the treaty announced by Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Tuvalu counterpart Kausea Natano, Australia will also vet Tuvalu's security arrangements with other nations. An Australian government official said this requirement covered any defence, police, port, telecommunications, energy or cyber security arrangements by Tuvalu. Although Australia has defence agreements with other Pacific Islands nations, in a region where China recently struck a security pact with Solomon Islands and is seeking to expand its policing ties and infrastructure projects, the Tuvalu treaty goes much further in positioning Australia as its primary security partner. Australia sees deeper economic and social integration with the Pacific Islands as a way to ensure the security of the region, a government official said.

Persons: Mick Tsikasvia, Anthony Albanese, Kausea Natano, Albanese, Natano, " Albanese, Kirsty Needham, Alasdair Pal, Lewis Jackson, Kim Coghill, Christopher Cushing, Lincoln, Michael Perry Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Australia's, Tuvalu, Pacific, Tuvalu Falepili, Australia, Canberra, Thomson Locations: Funafuti, Tuvalu, Australia, Taiwan, Beijing, Cook, China, Solomon Islands, Hawaii, Washington, Sydney

☆ Australia to Offer Climate Refuge to All Residents of Tuvalu - Report
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will on Friday announce the country will offer climate asylum to all residents of Tuvalu, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, citing sources. Tuvalu, a collection of nine low-lying islands in the Pacific, is one of the world's most at-risk countries from climate change. All 11,200 residents of the country will be offered refuge in Australia, SMH reported. (Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Kim Coghill and Christopher Cushing)

Persons: Anthony Albanese, SMH, Alasdair Pal, Kim Coghill, Christopher Cushing Organizations: SYDNEY, Australia, Sydney Morning Herald Locations: Tuvalu, Australia, Sydney

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A group of South Pacific leaders was due to travel to the stunning island of Aitutaki on Thursday to discuss climate change and other regional concerns. The forum culminates in a leaders' retreat Friday on Aitutaki, a beautiful island renowned for its picturesque lagoon. Albanese told reporters that Australia had gotten a positive reception in a region where climate change looms as an existential threat for many low-lying islands. Political Cartoons View All 1237 ImagesAlbanese's predecessor Scott Morrison was criticized for dragging his feet on climate change while championing Australia's lucrative coal and gas exports. “I am proud of the hard work and items before you today covering climate change, gender, fisheries, nuclear issues, and trade, among others,” Puna told forum attendees.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Scott Morrison, Henry Puna, ” Organizations: South Pacific, Forum, Australia Locations: WELLINGTON, New Zealand, Aitutaki, Cook, Henry, ” Puna, ” New Zealand

☆ China, Australia to restart annual meetings as trade resumes
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets with China's President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, November 6, 2023. President Xi Jinping said on Monday stable ties between China and Australia served each other's interests and both should expand cooperation, sending a clear signal that China was ready to move on from recent tensions. The Australian prime minister said he had used the four-day visit to advocate for Australia's interests in trade, human rights, regional and global issues. "While there are differences between us, both Australia and China benefit from cooperation and dialogue," Albanese said. Australia and China had agreed to cooperate on trade, climate change and agriculture, the Australian government said in a statement.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Xi Jinping, Lukas Coch, Li Qiang, Albanese, " Albanese, Li, Xi, Kirsty Needham, Ellen Zhang, Robert Birsel Organizations: Australia's, of, People, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, U.S, Islands Forum, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, Rights BEIJING, SYDNEY, Australia, People . China, India, Japan, Pacific, United States, South China, Britain, Sydney

☆ Australia's Albanese retraces historic Beijing walk on visit to mend ties
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Ryan Woo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks during the bilateral meeting with Indonesia's President Joko Widodo on the sidelines of the 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, 07 September 2023. Albanese, who arrived on Saturday, was due to meet President Xi Jinping later on Monday, their second face-to-face talks in a year. At the Temple of Heaven, Albanese posed for a photograph at the circular Echo Wall, the same spot where Australia's then prime minister, Gough Whitlam, stood in 1973, a year after the two countries established ties. China and Australia for decades built a relationship on trade, with China becoming Australia's biggest trading partner with its purchases of Australian food and natural resources. 'PROMISING SIGNS'But Albanese took steps to stabilise relations after he became prime minister in May last year and met Xi on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Indonesia in November.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Joko Widodo, BAGUS, Albanese, Xi Jinping, Australia's, Gough Whitlam, " Albanese, Xi, We've, Ryan Woo, Robert Birsel Organizations: Australia's, 43rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, Rights, Australian, Beijing's, Twitter, Huawei Technologies, South China, Thomson Locations: Jakarta, Indonesia, Rights BEIJING, China, Beijing, Australia, Australian, Wuhan, Pacific, United States, Britain, South, Japan, South Korea

☆ China pledges to expand market access at annual trade fair amid foreign criticism
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( Brenda Goh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SHANGHAI, China (Reuters) -China will further expand market access and increase imports, its premier told a trade fair in Shanghai on Sunday, amid criticism from European firms who said they wanted to see more tangible improvement in the country’s business environment. China will promote coordinated development of trade in goods and services, protect an international business environment, and relax market access including lifting restrictions on foreign investment in manufacturing, he said. The import expo was launched by President Xi Jinping in 2018 to promote China’s free trade credentials and counter criticism of its trade surplus with many countries. China’s imports have slumped this year amid a slowdown in the world’s second largest economy, although data released last month indicated that the downtrend could be starting to ease. China will “actively promote” its application to join the Comprehensive Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Li also said in his speech on Sunday.

Persons: Li Qiang, Tingshu Wang, ” Li, Xi Jinping, Li, Anthony Albanese, “ Organizations: Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre, China, European Chamber of Commerce, Micron Technology, Nestle, Burberry, Australian, Pacific Locations: SHANGHAI, China, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Afghan, Australia, United States, Taiwan, Ukraine, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Ecuador, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, Britain

☆ Philippines' Marcos condemns killing of journalist, orders investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. speaks during a joint press statement with Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Malacanang Presidential Palace in Manila, Philippines, September 8, 2023. Earvin Perias/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMANILA, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Sunday strongly condemned the killing of a Filipino journalist and ordered the police to conduct an investigation to bring the perpetrators to justice. Media watchdog NUJP also condemned the "brazen killing" which it said was caught on a livestream of Jumalon's show. Jumalon's killing brings to four the number of journalists killed since Marcos took office in June 2022, and to 199 since democracy was restored in the Philippines in 1986. It ranked as the eighth worst country when it comes to prosecuting killers of journalists, according to 2023 Global Impunity Index released by the Committee to Protect Journalists released this week.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Anthony Albanese, Earvin, Juan Jumalon, Johnny Walker, Marcos, NUJP, Karen Lema, Michael Perry Organizations: Australia's, Rights, National Union of Journalists of, . Media, Committee, Protect Journalists, Thomson Locations: Manila, Philippines, Rights MANILA, Philippine, Calamba, Misamis Occidental

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Sunday pledged to continue deepening reforms, expand free trade zones and relax market access for foreign investment while seeking to generate excitement around a largely lackluster economy. China's economy expanded at a 4.9% annual pace between July-September, beating analysts’ forecasts of about 4.5%, official data show. The expo being held through Friday is an annual event launched by President Xi Jinping in 2018 with the theme of promoting China’s image as being in favor of free trade. This year’s expo brought Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, currently paying an official visit to China which is largely focused on restoring trade links blocked for years due to economic and political tensions. Despite that, Li said China would continue to “actively pursue the accession to the CPTPP and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement and negotiate for the conclusion of more high standard free trade agreements.”

Persons: Li Qiang, Li, Xi Jinping, ” Li, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, ” Albanese, Yang Hengjun, “ Organizations: 6th China, Sunday, Trans, Pacific Partnership, Digital Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, Shanghai, China, Beijing, Australia, Australian

☆ China Says Australia’s Exporters Can Come Back. Some Say No Thanks.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Rhiannon Hoyle | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to meet with Chinese officials in the coming days. Photo: stringer/ReutersADELAIDE, Australia—When China reopened its ports to Australian steelmaking coal in January, it soon ran up against a legacy of its two-year standoff with one of its biggest trading partners: The ships mostly weren’t coming back. Australian coal exporters had to cultivate new markets on the fly after being locked out of China when its leaders reacted angrily to former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s call for an international investigation into the origins of Covid-19. Many turned to India, which needs coal to feed its burgeoning steel industry. Those ties have held even as Beijing rolled back restrictions.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Scott Morrison’s Organizations: Reuters, Australian Locations: Reuters ADELAIDE, Australia, China, India, Beijing

☆ Australia's Albanese, in China, Seeks Dialogue, Cooperation
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Brenda GohSHANGHAI, China (Reuters) - Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, starting the first visit to China by a leader of his country in seven years, said on Sunday it was "in all our interests" to have a bilateral relationship with dialogue and cooperation. Australia will continue to work constructively with China, he said in a short speech to the annual China International Import Expo in Shanghai, which was opened by Premier Li Qiang. Albanese is the first Australian leader to visit China since 2016, part of an effort to patch up relations that had deteriorated over several years due to disputes over Chinese telecoms firm Huawei, espionage and COVID-19. Before leaving Australia on Saturday, he said his much-anticipated visit to meet with President Xi Jinping and Li marked a "very positive step" in stabilising strained bilateral ties. (Reporting by Brenda Goh and Martin Quin Pollard; Editing by William Mallard)

Persons: Brenda Goh, Anthony Albanese, Li Qiang, Albanese, Xi Jinping, Li, Martin Quin Pollard, William Mallard Organizations: Australia's, China, Huawei, Australia Locations: Brenda Goh SHANGHAI, China, Australia, Shanghai

☆ Australia-China: After seven years of strain, leader Albanese heads to Beijing
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Stakes are high for the four-day visit, which begins on Saturday and will see Albanese meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang and make stops in Beijing and Shanghai. Albanese’s trip also carries symbolic overtones, marking 50 years since the first official visit by an Australian leader to Communist China after the two countries established ties. James Bugg/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesUS relations loomAlbanese is heading to Beijing less than two weeks after he met with US President Joe Biden in Washington. As he aims to repair ties with China, Albanese will need to walk a line between these interests and China’s suspicions about the aims of these blocs, analysts say. “Beijing came to learn that the weaponization of trade did not force a close US ally to back down,” said Collinson.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN —, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Scott Morrison’s, Jingdong Yuan, ”, Cheng Lei, Yang Hengjun, Yang, ” Albanese, Elena Collinson, teeters, ” Collinson, James Bugg, Joe Biden, “ Albanese, Yuan, Xi, Biden, Collinson, “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, China’s Foreign Ministry, University of Sydney, Reuters, Huawei, Albanese’s Labor, Canberra, Albanese’s, University of Technology Sydney’s, China Relations Institute, Trans, Pacific, Bloomberg, Getty, Albanese, China, China - Asia Security, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Economic Cooperation, Australia Locations: Hong Kong, China, Beijing, Shanghai, Australia, Washington, Seoul, Communist China, Asia, Pacific, Darwin, Pacific Islands, South, University of Technology Sydney’s Australia, Europe, Yarra, Victoria, South China, United Kingdom, Japan, India, Sydney, Stockholm, San Fransisco

☆ Australia PM says China visit 'very positive' for bilateral relations
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday his much-anticipated visit to China to meet with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang marks a "very positive step" in stabilising strained bilateral ties. Arriving on Saturday, Albanese will be the first Australian leader to visit China since 2016, part of an effort to patch up relations that had deteriorated over several years due to disputes over Chinese telecoms firm Huawei, espionage and COVID-19. "It is a result of the patient, calibrated and deliberate approach that we have to the relationship with China." Albanese's government has taken credit for stabilising ties with China since coming to office last year. China has lifted most trade blocks imposed in a 2020 diplomatic dispute that cost A$20 billion in commodity and food exports.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang, Albanese, Xi, Li, " Albanese, Yang Hengjun, Penny Wong, Sam McKeith Organizations: SYDNEY, Australia's, Huawei, Foreign, Thomson Locations: China, Darwin, Australia's Northern Territory, Shanghai, Beijing, South China, Tokyo, Sydney

☆ Australia's Albanese to highlight trade on China visit as ties warm
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

A quarter of Australia's export earnings come from China, more than the next three trade partners, the United States, South Korea and Japan combined, Albanese said on Tuesday. "Trade as an anchor provides stability and certainty to allow greater engagement while we navigate uncertain currents and obstacles that lie beneath," said Australia China Business Council president David Olsson. Chairman of the Business Council of Australia's global engagement committee, Warwick Smith, said Albanese would highlight the complementary nature of bilateral trade in a speech on Sunday to 500 business people. DIFFICULT TOPICSChina has lauded the visit's timing, on the 50th anniversary of the first to China by an Australian leader, then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Although the Albanese government has put dialogue at the centre of its approach to China, most policy remains the same, he said.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Xi Jinping, Richard Marles, David Olsson, Li Qiang, Fortescue, " Olsson, Warwick Smith, Gough Whitlam, Penny Wong, Xiao Qian, Richard Maude, Thomas, Maude, Kirsty Needham, Robert Birsel Organizations: SYDNEY, Australia China Business, Fortescue Metals, Rio Tinto, BHP, Business Council, Asia Society Australia, America, Thomson Locations: China, Shanghai, South, Beijing, Australia, United States, Canberra, Britain, Washington, South Korea, Japan, Rio, CIIE, Philippines, Taiwan

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