Read this in The Manila Times digital edition.
SYDNEY: Australia's prime minister will visit China in early November to meet President Xi Jinping, Canberra confirmed Sunday, as the two trading partners work to repair a once-frosty relationship.
MENDING TIES Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reacts during question time in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra on Oct. 16, 2023. Albanese will visit China in early November to meet President Xi Jinping, Canberra confirmed Sunday, October 22, as the two trading partners work to repair a once-frosty relationship. AFP PHOTO
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese locked in the trip — from November 4 to November 7 — after China agreed to suspend a festering World Trade Organization dispute sparked by hefty tariffs on Australian wine.
It also follows the release of Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who was deported from China earlier this month after being detained for three years on espionage charges widely seen as politically motivated.
"I look forward to visiting China, an important step towards ensuring a stable and productive relationship," Albanese said in a statement.
"I welcome the progress we have made to return Australian products, including Australian wine, to the Chinese market."
The widely anticipated trip would be the first to China by an Australian prime minister since 2016.