The flurry of co-ordinated activity aimed at wooing Australia is the highest level pitch for engagement since diplomatic ties were frozen in 2020.
China has escalated its push for a relationship reset with Australia ahead of the 50th anniversary of Gough Whitlam’s diplomatic embrace of China, as senior business figures argue the shift “cannot be overlooked”.
In the paper, China said it would appoint a special envoy for Pacific affairs, provide funding for climate change mitigation, send medical teams to the region, and establish more than 5000 training places. But it made no commitment to policing, cybersecurity or free trade after Wang’s proposals fell flat at Monday’s meeting.
“There is no doubt that the tone from Beijing has softened somewhat in recent times,” said Australia China Business Council president David Olsson. “Whether all these herald a more permanent sentiment shift is still an open question.”Olsson, a partner at Hong Kong law firm King & Wood Mallesons, was among six Australian executives, including from BHP and Rio Tinto, to meet with their Chinese counterparts from Sinosteel and Chinalco for the first time in two years in December.
The chief executive of Grain Growers Australia Dave McKeon said Australian barley growers have been losing $500 million a year since prohibitive tariffs were placed on Australian exports in May 2020. Those sanctions are now being contested at the World Trade Organisation. At the same time, wheat and sorghum exports to China have surged, while other farmers have diversified to Japan and Vietnam.“We see a bit of a window of opportunity ahead of us.
In its editorial, Xinhua said China and Australia maintained a good relationship “for a long time” that brought both sides tangible benefits. The Chinese government-run news service quoted Fortescue and Minderoo chairman Andrew Forrest praising China for its “great support” during COVID-19 and Melbourne philanthropist and former diplomat Carrillo Gantner urging the relationship to “get back on the rails quickly”.
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