Australian diplomatic minister Payne. (photo No. 9)
From November 7 to 9, Australian diplomatic minister Payne (Marise Payne) will visit Beijing, becoming the first Australian diplomatic minister to visit China in nearly three years. She plans to discuss trade and human rights with China.
Payne said in a statement that she would attend the fifth round of Australia-China diplomatic and strategic dialogue chaired by China`s diplomatic minister, State Councilor Wang Yi. The visit is seen as a sign of a relaxation in Sino-Australian relations.
"it is clear that our relationship is deep and in the interests of both sides," Payne told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on November 6.
At present, China and the United States over trade, intellectual property rights and the South China Sea and other issues have friction. Mr. Payne said regional stability depended on relations between the two big countries, both of which Australia regarded as the most important partners.
On November 5th, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the China International Import Expo. Payne said she is interested in Xi Jinping ` s remarks about relaxing education and health market access.
"[the speech] also promised to improve China`s intellectual property protection and enforcement system," she said. Foreign companies, including Australian companies, have been worried for years, so we are pleased to see this signal. "
Penn said Victoria`s government signed the "Belt and Road Initiative" memorandum of understanding, will not cause concern.
Victoria claims it consulted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade before the memorandum was signed last week. However, the state did not reveal much to the federal government.
Payne denied that the memo was embarrassing for the Union. "We encourage states and territories to open up opportunities with China," she said. Of course, any treaty-level agreement will be made at the federal level. "
Labour Senator McCarslett (Jenny McAllister) welcomed the easing of diplomatic relations, but said the freeze highlighted the need for discipline and consistency in Australia`s response to China. "Unfortunately, what happened in the last few years was that government screwed up," she told Sky News. As for our attitude towards China, it was unexpected that the front seat of the government had spread a very different kind of message and received quite a bad response. "
On November 5, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying was asked whether Australia`s foreign minister`s visit to China meant that relations between China and Australia, which had been "frozen" for a year or two, were recovering, according to the official website of the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Hua Chunying responded: "We have repeatedly stated China`s principled position on the development of Sino-Australian relations. In September this year, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Foreign Minister Penn on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting, and the two sides exchanged in-depth views on Sino-Australian relations and issues of common concern and reached an important consensus. We are willing to work with Australia to expand exchanges and cooperation in various fields on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and to promote new progress in Sino-Australian relations. "
South Australia sets up Investment Office in Shanghai to assist Australian Enterprises in Export
South Australia`s government will set up a new trade and investment office in Shanghai.
South Australia`s trade director, (David Ridgway), said the new office was an investment of A $12 million, including five similar centres, in an effort to help local Australian companies enter markets in China, the United States, Asia and the Middle East.
"like many parts of the world, China and South Australia are constantly adapting to a rapidly changing global environment and building on our successful relationships to promote exports, attract investment and create jobs," Ridgeway said in a statement on November 6.
