Chinese Premier Li’s visit to Australia is a ‘significant’ demonstration of stable relations, minister says By Reuters

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Sunday Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Australia was “very important” to demonstrate the stable relationship between the two countries, after Li, China’s second-ranking official, arrived in Adelaide on Saturday. .

Li touched down in the South Australian state capital late Saturday, saying bilateral relations were “back to normal” as he began a four-day visit to Australia, the first visit by a Chinese premier to a major trading partner in seven years.

China imposed trade restrictions on a range of Australian agricultural and mineral products in 2020 amid a diplomatic row that has now largely subsided.

“This is obviously a very important visit, it’s the first visit by a Chinese premier in seven years,” Wong told Australian Broadcasting Corp television. on sunday morning.

“It comes after two years of deliberate and patient work by this government to bring stability to the relationship.”

In Adelaide on Sunday, Li is expected to visit the pandas loaned from China to the Adelaide zoo, then have lunch with wine merchants until recently locked out of the Chinese market in a dispute that has cost A$20 billion ($13 billion) in Australia. agriculture and minerals in foreign countries last year.

Li will also visit the capital Canberra and the rich iron-ore mining state of Western Australia where he stops.

Australia is a major supplier of steel to China, which has been an investor in Australian mining projects, although some recent Chinese investments in the precious mineral have been blocked by Australia on national interest grounds.

Li arrived from New Zealand, where he highlighted the Chinese demand for New Zealand agricultural products.

China is Australia and New Zealand’s largest trading partner. Canberra and Wellington want to balance trade with regional security concerns about China’s ambitions in the Pacific Islands.