Today, Chinese Premier Li Qiang wraps a whirlwind week of diplomatic travel, returning to Beijing after tours of Australia and New Zealand, as well as Malaysia.
Li’s trip to Australia, the first by a Chinese premier in seven years, comes as trade irritants between the two countries — manifold a mere two years ago — seemingly dissolve. Australia’s trade minister, Don Farrell, said during Li’s trip that he expected China to lift its import ban on Australian live-lobster, one of the last remaining irritants in the bilateral trade relationship.
Li said following a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that China would allow 15-day visa-free travel for Australians, and separately pledged to loan two more giant pandas to the Adelaide Zoo, replacing the popular panda pair of ‘Wang Wang’ and ‘Fu Ni.’
Albanese said he raised several concerns with Li, including over a recent “unsafe intercept” of an Australian military aircraft by a Chinese fighter jet.
Li’s trip to New Zealand featured the launch of services-trade negotiations between Beijing and Wellington and the inclusion of New Zealand in China’s visa-free travel program. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon told reporters that his meeting with Li was “probably [a] 50-50” split between finding common ground and diplomatic disagreement.
China is New Zealand’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade totalling C$32 billion in 2023.
Malaysia will apply to BRICS: Anwar
During Li’s trip to Malaysia, the two countries renewed a trade pact, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said his country would apply to join BRICS. Malaysia is included in Beijing’s visa-free program.
Kuala Lumpur objects to Beijing’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea but has communicated its protests through diplomatic channels, rather than publicly.
