Australia's foreign minister will visit China on Tuesday, the first such visit in four years between the two countries and a sign of a thaw in relations.
Canberra announced that Penny Wong will travel to Beijing to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and meet Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
“Australia seeks a stable relationship with China.
We will cooperate when we can, disagree when we must, and engage in the national interest
,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in announcing the visit.
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The last official trip by an Australian foreign minister to Beijing was in 2018. Since then, the once excellent relationship has taken a nosedive.
Points of contention include Chinese influence operations in the region, as well as Beijing's crackdown in Xinjiang province, Tibet and Hong Kong.
Investigation into the origins of Covid-19
The disputes came to a head in 2020, when Canberra demanded an investigation into the origins of Covid-19 which was first spotted in China.
Beijing responded in particular with a wave of punitive sanctions on several products imported from Australia.
Relations between Australia and its main trading partner were relaxed when Mr Albanese met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bali in November.
But the economic sanctions remain and, although Australia has made clear it wants them lifted, observers doubt that relations will improve soon.
Canberra has embarked on sweeping military reforms aimed at deterring foreign threats, including acquiring nuclear-powered submarines.
Although it is rarely said explicitly, this development is almost entirely linked to China's rapid military growth and its more assertive position abroad under the presidency of Xi Jinping.