ma zhaoxu visit australia

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Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu Visits Australia for Political Consultation between the Foreign Ministries of China and Australia

On April 12, 2023, Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu held in Canberra the political consultation between the foreign ministries of China and Australia with Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia Jan Adams. The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on China-Australia relations, and international and regional issues of mutual interest and concern.

Ma Zhaoxu emphasized that the current China-Australia relations are showing  momentum of improvement and development, which serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples. China is ready to work with Australia to follow through on the important common understandings reached between the leaders of the two countries, increase mutual trust, deepen cooperation, and properly manage differences, so as to promote the sustained, sound and steady development of China-Australia relations.

• Australia News

'Political consultation': Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu to visit Australia this week for new round of talks

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.

China's Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu will visit Australia this week, becoming the first high level official to travel to the country in six years as relations between Beijing and Canberra continue to thaw.

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.

He added that Australia had extended an invitation to Mr Ma, but did not disclose any details about what officials would discuss during the visit.

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.

Chen Hong, Director of the Australian Studies Centre at East China Normal University, told the outlet this would include "paving the way" for further visits of high level officials to both countries.

However, he warned Australia would need to find a "balance" between China and the United States if it wanted to continue recent diplomatic successes.

"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.

"Albanese should have the wisdom to find the balance between taking care of his Western alliances and stabilizing ties with Beijing."

No top level diplomats have visited Australia since 2016 when former Premier Li Keqiang led a trade delegation shortly before relations soured over concerns about Chinese interference.

President Xi has not come to Australia since 2014.

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.

The visit is expected to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first visit by an Australian Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, in 1973.

However, Mr Albanese has denied reports a date is set, saying he is still waiting to receive an official invitation.

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.

China has begun easing trade restrictions which have been in place for more two years, with Minister for Trade Don Farrell expected to visit the country soon in the hope bans on key Australian exports will be lifted completely.

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.

It is also likely the government will raise the plight of detained Australians Cheng Lei and Yang Hengjun, as the Prime Minister seeks to secure their release.

Mr Ma is well known to Australian diplomats, he was a former Ambassador to Australia before being promoted in President Xi's government shake-up earlier this year.

Officials will hope their existing relationship will make for more effective negotiations.

The Chinese Vice Foreign Affairs Minister will also visit Fiji as part of the trip, as Beijing tries to extend its influence in the Pacific region.

The move comes after Fiji suspended cooperation between its police and Chinese authorities and renamed its Taipei Trade Office to the Trade Mission of the Republic of China (Taiwan), in recognition of Taiwan's democratically elected government.

China's Foreign Ministry called the name change inflammatory, adding it was opposed to any moves which created "two China's" or "one China, one Taiwan."

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Senior Chinese Official in Australia on Landmark Visit

• By Phil Mercer

The most senior Chinese government official to visit Australia in six years has arrived for talks in Sydney.

Ma Zhaoxu’s visit is the latest sign that diplomatic ties between Canberra and Beijing are easing after years of friction. The visit by Ma, China's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, comes as the two countries agree to resolve a dispute over imports of Australian barley.

Ma will hold talks Wednesday with Australian government officials.

It is the first visit by a senior Chinese official since bilateral relations started to deteriorate in 2017 over growing concerns about alleged Chinese interference in Australia’s domestic affairs.

Canberra Presses China Over Australian Journalist Detained Since 2020

There followed further disagreements about Taiwan, freedom of navigation in the contested South China Sea and the origins of COVID-19. China also imposed restrictions on a range of Australian exports.

In May 2020, China placed sweeping tariffs on Australian barley for five years, disrupting a trade worth $1 billion a year.

David Olssen, the national president of the Australia China Business Council, a business grouping, told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Wednesday that Ma’s visit illustrates a shift in China’s foreign policy.

“I think it is clear that the strategies that China has adopted in recent times against Australia have not worked and that combined with, you know, a quite hostile environment for China globally at the moment has caused China to rethink its priorities,” said Olssen. “It wants to talk to the world. It wants to open up again. It needs to do that from an economic point of view.”

China Condemns Trilateral AUKUS Nuclear-Powered Submarine Deal

Ma’s visit coincides with Australia agreeing to suspend its appeal to the World Trade Organization against China’s punitive tariffs on Australian barley, which Beijing has agreed to review.

Officials in Canberra have said they were confident that China would reverse the tariffs during the three-month assessment.

“I want to make clear that if this agreement is successful in providing a pathway for the lifting of duties on barley, the Australian government would expect a similar process to be followed in relation to the trade barriers which exist on Australian wine,” Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong told reporters in Canberra Tuesday.

Australia Holds Breakthrough Trade Talks with China

China is, by far, Australia’s biggest trading partner. China’s demand for natural resources, most notably iron ore — a key ingredient in steel making — has underpinned Australia’s recent prosperity.

Australia’s center-left government — elected in May 2022 — has made a concerted effort to ease tensions with Beijing. Analysts say a meeting between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Indonesia last November was a catalyst for better relations.

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Australia-china senior officials’ talks.

Australia and China held bilateral talks between senior officials in Canberra on 12 April. These were led by the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ms Jan Adams AO PSM, and the Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Ma Zhaoxu.

The talks covered a range of bilateral and international topics, including trade, consular, human rights, strategic competition, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Secretary Adams reiterated that it was in the shared interests of Australia and China to continue on the path of stabilising the bilateral relationship.

The talks followed the agreement between Foreign Ministers at the Foreign and Strategic Dialogue in December 2022 to maintain high-level contact and commence or re-start dialogue in a range of areas. Australia and China last held bilateral talks at the Secretary-level in Beijing in February 2019.

Executive Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu is the most senior official from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was formerly Ambassador to Australia (2013-2016).

VIDEO : Chinese senior official visits Canberra for talks

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China's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ma Zhaoxu, is meeting with Australian senior officials in Canberra with trade disputes and nuclear-powered submarines on the agenda.

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Senior chinese diplomat heads to australia and fiji to pave way for xi-albanese talks in beijing.

China's vice-foreign minister Ma Zhaoxu will visit Australia and Fiji this week, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday.

The visit by Ma, a former ambassador to Australia, was expected to stabilise ties between the two countries ahead of an anticipated visit to Beijing this year by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

The South China Morning Post reported last week that Albanese may visit Beijing in September and October to mark the 50th anniversary of the first trip to China by an Australian prime minister.

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge , our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

On Wednesday, Albanese said he was still waiting for China to confirm the "in-principle" invitation to Beijing, Reuters reported.

Mark McGowan, the premier of Western Australia , is expected to visit Beijing and the southern city of Guangzhou by mid-April to discuss tourism development on his first trip in four years.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday that Ma's would hold a new round of political consultations on his trip to Australia this week. Ma would also travel to Fiji, Wang said.

The visit comes as the China-Australia relationship has begun to thaw. Over the past few years, China-Australia relations deteriorated over human rights in Xinjiang, a call for investigation into the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic, national security concerns and heightened trade disputes.

The situation has improved since November, when Chinese President Xi Jinping met Albanese on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Bali. In those first formal talks between the nations' top leaders in six years, both expressed their willingness to stabilise relations. Trade was also on Albanese's agenda.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong visited Beijing and met China's then foreign minister Wang Yi in December. Both sides agreed to step up talks on issues such as trade, security and human rights.

China has also aimed to improve cooperation with Pacific Island nations in recent years as its rivalry with the United States in the region has heated up.

In February, Qian Bo, China's ambassador to Fiji since 2018, was appointed the Chinese government's first special envoy on Pacific Islands affairs , an elevated post that will see him taking charge of pressing diplomatic issues.

Weeks before the assignment, Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka cancelled the country's police training and exchange agreement with China , overturning a decision taken by a previous administration.

Rabuka said Chinese state security personnel would no longer continue working with its police force because of the nations' "different systems".

China had sought to "expand law enforcement cooperation, jointly combat transnational crime and establish a dialogue mechanism on law enforcement capacity and police cooperation" in the region.

But China failed to win over all Pacific nations with its regional security cooperation proposal.

At a China-Pacific Islands Foreign Ministers' Meeting in May last year, former Fijian prime minister and foreign minister Frank Bainimarama said the ministers were prioritising consensus.

"Geopolitical point-scoring means less than little to anyone whose community is slipping beneath the rising seas, whose job is being lost to the pandemic, or whose family is impacted by the rapid rise in the price of commodities," he said.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP) , the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright © 2023 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2023. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

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China vice-foreign minister to visit australia, fiji this week - china foreign ministry.

April 10, 2023 — 03:24 am EDT

Written by Laurie Chen for  ->

BEIJING, April 10 (Reuters) - China's vice-foreign minister Ma Zhaoxu will visit Australia and Fiji this week, the Chinese foreign Ministry said on Monday.

Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a regulator press briefing that Ma will hold a new round of political consultations during the visit.

(Reporting by Laurie Chen; Editing by Toby Chopra)

(( [email protected] ;))

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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Australia strikes deal with China over barley trade dispute

In ‘sign of goodwill’, federal government temporarily suspends WTO challenge as China agrees to review its tariffs

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The Australian government has reached a deal with China that may lead to the removal of tariffs on Australian barley that were introduced at the height of diplomatic tensions in 2020.

While the axing of the tariffs is not guaranteed, the Australian government presented the snap review as an important “pathway” to resolve one of the most complex trade disputes between the two countries.

The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, and the trade minister, Don Farrell, announced that China had “agreed to undertake an expedited review” of its tariffs on Australian barley over the next three to four months.

In return, Australia had agreed to temporarily suspend its challenge against the tariffs through the World Trade Organization dispute process.

China imposed punitive tariffs of more than 80% on Australian barley in 2020, arguing the move was needed to level the playing field because the sector gained subsidies and Australian barley was being “dumped” cheaply on the Chinese market.

Australia always rejected those claims and the previous Morrison government initiated a WTO challenge. The announcement on Tuesday appeared to be aimed at giving China an off-ramp to drop the tariffs without the risk of a formal ruling against the measures.

Wong, who is acting as prime minister while Anthony Albanese is on leave, said the government would resume the WTO dispute process if China did not remove the barley tariffs at the end of the review period. The review is expected to take three months but may extend to a fourth month if required.

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Farrell said the move was “a sign of goodwill” and reflected Australia’s desire to pursue discussions to “resolve our outstanding issues with China”.

“We hope that this will be template for then moving on to the other areas of dispute, in particular in respect of Australian wine, which is also subject to very high tariffs,” Farrell said.

China had previously been the largest export market for Australian barley, so the tariffs brought significant pain to the industry. The value of barley exports from Australia to China had averaged about $1.2bn per year between 2014-15 and 2018-19.

Briefings to the former government said the steep tariffs had “effectively eliminated Australian barley as a feasible option for Chinese importers, and exports to China effectively ceased after the tariff’s introduction”, forcing the industry to find other markets.

The plans come amid ongoing efforts to “stabilise” the relationship between Australia and China, which hit a low point in 2020 amid severe trade and political disputes.

The Chinese government rolled out hefty tariffs, unofficial bans or other restrictions against a range of Australian export sectors in 2020, including wine, barley, coal, timber and lobster.

While some progress has been made in recent months, such as the resumption of the coal trade, the wine and barley tariff disputes were considered more complex, given the involvement of the WTO.

A WTO panel’s ruling on barley was due to be handed to the parties by the end of last month, and this was to be shared with other countries three weeks later.

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But Wong said the deal would “potentially deliver a result in a shorter timeframe than if we simply proceeded through the WTO”.

The chair of GrainGrowers, Rhys Turton, said it was “heartening to see a resolution of constructive dialogue between the two governments”.

“We are hopeful that this process will result in a positive outcome for Australian growers,” Turton said.

The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, said Beijing should not have introduced the trade measures in the first place and he would be “very pleased if the sanctions are lifted”.

The shadow ministers for foreign affairs and trade, Simon Birmingham and Kevin Hogan, said the announcement “warrants cautious optimism”. They called for “the complete and unconditional removal of tariffs on Australian barley and wine”.

Comment has been sought from the Chinese embassy.

Farrell and the Chinese commerce minister, Wang Wentao, met virtually on 6 February and agreed to enhance dialogue at all levels to pave the way to a timely and full resumption of trade.

Farrell is expected to travel to China to meet in person with Wang in coming weeks, although a date has not been announced.

China’s foreign ministry confirmed on Monday evening that its vice-minister of foreign affairs, Ma Zhaoxu, would “visit Australia and Fiji this week at their invitation and hold the new round of political consultation between the officials of the foreign ministries of China and Australia”.

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Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on April 10, 2023

CCTV: French President Emmanuel Macron has concluded his state visit to China. Can you share more about the outcomes of his visit?

Wang Wenbin: From April 5 to 7, President Emmanuel Macron paid a state visit to China. This is the first visit to China by a European head of state since China fully resumed foreign exchanges and held the successful “two sessions”. During the visit, the two heads of state had friendly, in-depth and quality exchanges of views in Beijing and Guangzhou and reached a number of strategic common understandings. Together, they charted the course and drew the blueprint for China-France cooperation at the bilateral, China-EU and global levels. Premier Li Qiang and Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Zhao Leji met with President Macron respectively. 

President Xi and President Macron agreed that as permanent members of the UN Security Council and independent major countries, China and France have the ability and responsibility to rise above differences and obstacles, keep to the overall direction of a comprehensive strategic partnership that is stable, mutually beneficial, enterprising and dynamic, and jointly contribute to global peace, stability and development. The two sides agreed to maintain close communication between the heads of state as well as high-level exchanges, and hold a new round of meetings this year for the three high-level dialogue mechanisms, namely the strategic dialogue, the economic and financial dialogue, and the dialogue on people-to-people exchanges. The two sides agreed to capitalize on their complimentarity and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in areas of space, aviation, agrifood and green development to boost the development and prosperity of both countries. China welcomes France to be a guest of honor country at the 2024 China International Fair for Trade in Services and the seventh China International Import Expo. The two sides will take the opportunity brought by the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism in 2024 to fully resume exchanges and cooperation in areas of culture, education, tourism, sports and art. The two sides agreed to deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership, fully resume exchanges at all levels and invigorate the mutually-beneficial cooperation across the board between China and the EU. The two sides will support each other’s multilateral visions and initiatives, jointly respond to global challenges concerning climate change, bio-diversity preservation and food security, and work together to improve global governance. The two presidents also had an in-depth exchange of views on the Ukraine crisis, on which they agreed to continue to step up communication, and play a constructive role in promoting peace talks and the political settlement of the crisis.

During the visit, the two sides signed close to 40 inter-governmental agreements and business contracts, covering areas of aviation, science and technology, education and agriculture. The two sides also issued a joint statement, making plans for cooperation in all areas in the next stage.

Reuters: While displaying itself as a force for global peace, China is threatening Taiwan with military drills in the Taiwan Strait. How can China win the trust of the international community while conducting military drills?

Wang Wenbin: I can’t see the logic in which you raised the question. I think your question makes no sense. 

The spokesperson of the PLA Eastern Theater Command stated earlier that from April 8 to 10, the PLA Eastern Theater Command launched combat readiness security patrol encircling the Taiwan Island and carried out “Joint Sword” exercises. This is a stern warning to the provocative activities of “Taiwan independence” secessionist forces and their collusion with external forces, and a necessary move to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. With regard to your question, I would like to tell you that the one-China principle is a prevailing consensus of the international community and a universally recognized basic norm in international relations.

China News Service: President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen visited China a few days ago. How does China view this visit? What common understandings have been reached between the two sides?

Wang Wenbin: As China and the EU mark the 20th anniversary of their comprehensive strategic partnership, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron visited China at the same time. Their visits continued the recent sound momentum of high-level exchanges between China and Europe. President Xi Jinping met with President von der Leyen and jointly held the China-France-EU Trilateral Meeting with President Macron and President von der Leyen. Premier Li Qiang met with President von der Leyen. Leaders of the two sides had in-depth communication and reached important common understandings. They agreed to advance the steady development of China-EU relations, enhance mutually-beneficial cooperation, oppose decoupling and severing of supply chains, and work together to meet global challenges. The two sides also had an in-depth exchange of views on the Ukraine crisis. They underscored the importance of maintaining communication and coordination between China and the EU, and agreed to make joint efforts to promote peace talks and alleviate the spillover effect of the crisis.

The visit by President von der Leyen is another important strategic communication between China and the EU following the visit to China by President of the European Council Charles Michel last December. Against the backdrop of a complex and volatile world fraught with rising risks from unilateralism, protectionism, division and confrontation, the visit by President von der Leyen sends out a positive message of China and the EU stepping up communication and engagement, enhancing bilateral and multilateral dialogue and cooperation, and managing differences constructively. This has been a productive visit that contributes to the steady growth of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership and provides certainties for the international landscape. The EU and President von der Leyen herself have expressed appreciation for the warm reception and arrangements made by the Chinese side. 

NHK: Can you confirm if the PLA drills are meant to be a countermeasure in response to the meeting between Tsai Ing-wen and US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy?

Wang Wenbin: The Foreign Ministry spokesperson has issued a statement on the “transit” by Tsai Ing-wen in the US, stressing that in response to the seriously wrong move taken jointly by the US and Taiwan, China will adopt strong and resolute measures to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity. As I said earlier, the spokesperson for the PLA Eastern Theater Command also stated earlier that the combat readiness security patrol encircling the Taiwan Island and the “Joint Sword” exercises is a stern warning to the provocative activities of “Taiwan independence” secessionist forces and their collusion with external forces, and a necessary move to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity. I think those statements have given a clear answer to your question.

O Globo: Brazil’s President Lula is expected to meet President Xi this week and he is about to mention his readiness to be part of the mediation efforts to end the war in Ukraine together with the Chinese side. How does China see the possibility of Brazil playing a role in this process? 

Wang Wenbin: China’s position on the Ukraine crisis is consistent and clear. Not long ago, we issued China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis. It offers 12 principles, including respecting the sovereignty of all countries, abandoning the Cold War mentality, ceasing hostilities, and resuming peace talks. The core stance is to promote talks for peace. China encourages and supports all efforts that are conducive to the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis and stands ready to work with Brazil and other members of the international community to continue to play a constructive role for the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis. 

RIA Novosti: A Tunisian official said earlier that Tunis is considering joining the BRICS. What’s your comment?

Wang Wenbin: The XIV BRICS Summit Beijing Declaration noted that “We support promoting discussions among BRICS members on BRICS expansion process.” China will continue to follow the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation, work with BRICS partners, strengthen cooperation with other emerging markets and developing countries, and jointly advance the BRICS expansion process on the basis of full discussion and consensus through consultation.

CCTV: Recently, some senior US officials and officials of the World Bank criticized China on Africa’s debt issue, calling China a barrier to African countries’ debt reduction and asking China to do more for these countries’ debt restructuring. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: Such allegations have no factual basis. China attaches great importance to Africa’s debt issue and works intensively to help Africa cope with it. China has contributed more to the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) than any other G20 member. The latest research findings of the SAIS China-Africa Research Initiative at the Johns Hopkins University show that China has actively participated in the G20’s DSSI, and contributed 63 percent of debt service suspensions. The report indicated that China has had good communication with other participating parties, effectively implemented the DSSI and fulfilled its role fairly well.

Recently, Nigeria’s Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said that the preoccupation of Western governments with the so-called China debt trap might well be an overreaction. He added that African countries are rightly unapologetic about their close ties to China. Africa needs the loans and infrastructure. China shows up where and when the West will not or are reluctant. China is a better ally for Africa.

China is always committed to providing support to fellow developing countries, including African countries, for their socioeconomic development, always conducts investment and financing cooperation with them based on the principle of equality and mutual benefit and always does its best to help them reduce debt burdens. China is not the source of African countries’ “debt trap”, but a partner to help these countries get out of poverty trap. Some politicians in the US and other Western countries use various narrative traps to disrupt and sabotage cooperation between China and other developing countries, but their gimmicks have been debunked and they now find it more difficult to get audience in developing countries and the larger international community.

According to statistics from a World Bank report, nearly three quarters of Africa’s total external debt is held by multilateral financial institutions and commercial creditors, and they combined hold the bulk of Africa’s debt. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) account for nearly 70 percent of Africa’s debt owed to multilateral financial institutions. The US is the largest single shareholder of the World Bank and the IMF and the financial capital from the US and Europe is the biggest commercial creditor for African countries. They have unshirkable responsibility in terms of resolving Africa’s debt. We urge the US to earnestly step up to its responsibility and make greater effort to work on the substantive participation of multilateral financial institutions and commercial creditors in the handling of Africa’s debt issue.    

AFP: Two questions. The first one is another question about the ongoing PLA drills around Taiwan. Is China concerned about a possible escalation of the regional security situation during these drills? The second question is about the Philippines and the US. The two countries are about to hold their biggest-ever joint military exercises this week, starting tomorrow. How does China view this?

Wang Wenbin: I have made abundantly clear China’s position on the military drills. Let me stress that the Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair. The one-China principle is a prevailing consensus among the international community and a basic norm in international relations. The greatest threat to cross-Strait peace is “Taiwan independence” forces and foreign connivance and support for their activities. We hope the world will see clearly the nature of the Taiwan question, follow the one-China principle and oppose all forms of “Taiwan independence” separatist activities. “Taiwan independence” and cross-Strait peace and stability are as irreconcilable as fire and water. To maintain peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, one must reject all forms of “Taiwan independence” separatist activities.

On your second question, exchange and cooperation between relevant countries should not target any third party and should be conducive to regional peace and stability. The US-Philippines military cooperation must not interfere in South China Sea disputes, still less harm China’s territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests and security interests.

CNR: We have seen reports that Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu will visit Australia and Fiji. Can you confirm this?

Wang Wenbin: Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Ma Zhaoxu will visit Australia and Fiji this week at their invitation and hold the new round of political consultation between the officials of the foreign ministries of China and Australia.

Reuters: First, India’s Union Home Minister is visiting the Arunachal Pradesh. Given that China has recently renamed some places in Zangnan, do you think that this visit violates China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity? Second, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and Germany’s Foreign Minister are scheduled to visit China this week. Could you share the itinerary and program?

Wang Wenbin: On your first question, Zangnan is part of China’s territory. The activity of the senior Indian official in Zangnan violates China’s territorial sovereignty and is not conducive to peace and tranquility in the border areas. We are firmly against this. 

On your second question, China and the EU have seen frequent high-level exchanges recently. Dialogue and cooperation have been resumed across the board. The China-EU relations have shown a positive momentum of growth. As for the specific visits you mentioned, please follow the updates to be released by our Foreign Ministry.

The Paper: A Swedish public prosecutor whose office is investigating the Nord Stream pipeline explosions said a few days ago that although theoretically independent groups are not ruled out, current investigation shows that the “main scenario” is that a state actor is directly or indirectly behind this. Do you have any comment?

Wang Wenbin: We noted the reports. This once again shows that the Nord Stream pipeline explosions were not a simple incident and what is behind the explosions could be quite complicated. It is critically important to launch an objective, impartial and professional investigation into the incident.

It’s been over six months since the Nord Stream blasts. To find out the truth and release the findings of the investigations — sooner rather than later — matters to the security of transboundary infrastructure and to international rule of law and justice. China supports carrying out international investigations into the event as soon as possible and hopes that relevant countries will be mindful of their responsibility for truth, and readily respond to the doubts and concerns of the international community, so as to bring truth to light at an early date.

AFP: French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview yesterday that Europe should not be a follower of either the US or China on the Taiwan issue and that Europe should not become entangled in crises that do not concern it. Does China have any comment on the President’s remarks? 

Wang Wenbin: The Taiwan question is entirely China’s internal affair. The one-China principle is a prevailing consensus of the international community and a basic norm in international relations. The biggest threat to peace in the Taiwan Strait is the “Taiwan independence” separatist activities and the US connivance at and support for them. We hope that all countries will see clearly what the Taiwan question is truly about, continue to abide by the one-China principle and firmly oppose all forms of “Taiwan independence” separatist activities. 

Reuters: While conducting military drills near Taiwan, China is also holding high-level consultation on maritime affairs with Japan. Can you share the details about the consultation and the outcomes?

Wang Wenbin: Information on this will be released in due course. Please check back for updates.

NBC: Some observers say that the intensity and scale of China’s military exercises around Taiwan is less than during or after Speaker Pelosi’s visit, but the Taiwanese authorities said today that the intensity is the same. Which one is more accurate in your view and has China paid more attention this time to the diplomatic and international impact of the Taiwan-related exercises?

Wang Wenbin: I suggest that rather than follow the remarks by so and so from the US or the Taiwan authorities, perhaps you could give more attention to the statement from the spokesperson of the PLA Eastern Theater Command, which is more authoritative, accurate and helpful for your readers. 

O Globo: In China’s view, how important is it for Brazil to join the Belt and Road Initiative? 

Wang Wenbin: As we have stated on several occasions, the Belt and Road Initiative is an entirely open and transparent cooperation initiative. We are ready to work with the international community to jointly advance the Belt and Road cooperation and the common development of all countries.

• Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on June 14, 2023

Australia reaches deal with China in barley dispute as trade ties improve

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• Australia halts WTO complaint while China reviews duties
• Agreement could revive barley trade later this year
• Latest trade breakthrough as diplomatic tensions ease

BARLEY REBALANCING

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Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney, and Dominique Patton, Yew Lun Tian and Ethan Wang in Beijing; additional reporting by Gus Trompiz in Paris and Michael Hogan in Hamburg; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and David Holmes

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Alasdair leads the team covering breaking news in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Before moving to Sydney, he covered general news in New Delhi, where he reported from the front-line of the coronavirus pandemic in India and the insurgency in Kashmir, as well as extended periods in Pakistan and, most recently, in Sri Lanka covering its ongoing economic crisis. His reporting on Islamic State suicide bombings in Sri Lanka in 2019 was highly commended as the Society of Publishers in Asia awards. He previously worked as a financial reporter in London, with a particular interest in hedge funds and accounting frauds. Signal app phone number: +61439529540

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Bougainville president makes plea to png, let my people go, jail term for former fijian pm bainimarama and suspended police chief…, australia announces $110m funding package for tuvalu.

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Senior Chinese diplomat heads to Australia and Fiji to pave way for Xi-Albanese talks in Beijing

China’s vice-foreign minister Ma Zhaoxu will visit Australia and Fiji this week, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Monday.

The visit by Ma, a former ambassador to Australia, was expected to stabilise ties between the two countries ahead of an anticipated visit to Beijing this year by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

The South China Morning Post reported last week that Albanese may visit Beijing in September and October to mark the 50th anniversary of the first trip to China by an Australian prime minister.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Monday that Ma’s would hold a new round of political consultations on his trip to Australia this week. Ma would also travel to Fiji, Wang said.

The visit comes as the China-Australia relationship has begun to thaw. Over the past few years, China-Australia relations deteriorated over human rights in Xinjiang, a call for investigation into the origin of the Covid-19 pandemic, national security concerns and heightened trade disputes.

The situation has improved since November, when Chinese President Xi Jinping met Albanese on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Bali. In those first formal talks between the nations’ top leaders in six years, both expressed their willingness to stabilise relations. Trade was also on Albanese’s agenda.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong visited Beijing and met China’s then foreign minister Wang Yi in December. Both sides agreed to step up talks on issues such as trade, security and human rights.

China has also aimed to improve cooperation with Pacific Island nations in recent years as its rivalry with the United States in the region has heated up.

In February, Qian Bo, China’s Ambassador to Fiji since 2018, was appointed the Chinese government’s first special envoy on Pacific Islands affairs, an elevated post that will see him taking charge of pressing diplomatic issues.

Weeks before the assignment, Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka cancelled the country’s police training and exchange agreement with China, overturning a decision taken by a previous administration. Rabuka said Chinese state security personnel would no longer continue working with its police force because of the nations’ “different systems”.

China had sought to “expand law enforcement cooperation, jointly combat transnational crime and establish a dialogue mechanism on law enforcement capacity and police cooperation” in the region.

But China failed to win over all Pacific nations with its regional security cooperation proposal.

At a China-Pacific Islands Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in May last year, former Fijian prime minister and foreign minister Frank Bainimarama said the ministers were prioritising consensus.

“Geopolitical point-scoring means less than little to anyone whose community is slipping beneath the rising seas, whose job is being lost to the pandemic, or whose family is impacted by the rapid rise in the price of commodities,” he said.

SOURCE: SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST/PACNEWS

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Australia suspends WTO case against China on barley tariffs

President of the Western Australian Farmers Federation Rhys Turton poses for a photograph holding barley seeds in his fields near York, 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of Perth, Australia May 19, 2020. Australia has on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, suspended a complaint to the World Trade Organization in a bid to reopen the Chinese market to Australian barley in the new government’s latest step toward repairing relations with Beijing. (Richard Wainwright/AAP Image via AP)

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CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia suspended a complaint to the World Trade Organization in a bid to reopen the Chinese market to Australian barley for the first time in three years in the new government’s latest step toward repairing relations with Beijing.

China effectively closed it doors to Australian barley in May 2020 by imposing an 80% tariff after the previous Australian government angered Beijing by calling for an independent inquiry into the origins of and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The previous conservative government responded by challenging the tariff in the Geneva-based trade body.

On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said her center-left Labor Party government, which was elected in May, had reached an agreement with China that “creates a pathway for the resolution of the dispute over Australian barley.”

China had agreed to review its duties on the grain over three or four months, she said, and Australia will temporarily suspend the WTO dispute during that review period.

“Obviously, if the duty is not lifted at the end of the review period, we’ll resume our dispute in the WTO,” Wong said. She said the Chinese review offered a “significantly shorter time frame” to resolve the dispute than the WTO offered.

The Chinese Embassy in Australia did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

The Australian government revealed the agreement a day after China’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu will visit Australia and Fiji this week.

Ma plans to hold a new round of political consultations with Australian officials, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Monday during a regular media briefing.

Official and unofficial trade barriers are costing Australian exporters an estimated $14 billion a year in products including beef, seafood and wood. Trade Minister Don Farrell said Australia hoped the review would become a template for resolving other trade disputes with China, particularly over wine . While barley growers have found other markets, Australian wine producers have struggled to find alternative buyers after China imposed trade barriers in late 2020.

Australia has denied China’s claims that it was subsidizing wine to export it at artificially low prices.

Grain Producers Australia, which represents barley exporters, welcomed the new agreement.

“This process to reach a resolution would be significantly shorter than if the WTO process continued,” Grain Producers Australian chair Barry Large said in a statement.

“We welcome the Labor government’s constructive dialogue and positive progress towards stabilizing the relationship with China, and creating this process and opportunity to recommence the barley trade,” Large said.

In February, Australian and Chinese trade ministers held their first bilateral meeting since 2019 , showing signs of improved relations since the previous government was voted out after nine years in power.

During the online exchange, Farrell accepted his Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao’s invitation to visit China. A date has yet to be set.

In December, Wong became the first Australian foreign minister to visit China in four years. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese raised his concerns about trade in November when he took part in the first formal bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping by an Australian government leader since 2016.

China recently lifted trade restrictions on Australian coal that were first imposed in late 2020.

Find more of AP’s Asia-Pacific coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific

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The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time. The life and music of Amy Winehouse, through the journey of adolescence to adulthood and the creation of one of the best-selling albums of our time.

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