Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu will become the first high level official to visit Australia in six years in a further sign of the improving relationship between Beijing and Canberra.
The trip was confirmed on Tuesday by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin who said the trip was for a"new round of political consultation" between the two countries.
However, party mouthpiece the Global Times reported that conversations would build upon discussions between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sidelines of last year's G20 summit in Bali. "As an independent country, Australia has the right and freedom to form an alliance. But China will never allow such an alliance to treat it as an ultimate enemy, or to harm China's interests," he said.
China has extended an"in principle" invitation to Mr Albanese to visit between September and October this year, according to The South China Morning Post. Mr Ma's visit comes amid improving relations between the two countries despite Beijing's vocal opposition to the AUKUS submarine deal and the Albanese government's recent TikTok ban.
When rumours of Mr Ma's visit first emerged it was reported a key reason for his invitation was for more discussion on how those bans might be removed.
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