Relations between China and Australia took a major step towards a return to normality with a November 4-7 visit by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang. The visit ended the effective freeze on high-level exchanges between the two countries, as a result of the adoption of anti-China policies by right-wing governments in Canberra, and follows the return to office of the Australian Labor Party, led by Albanese, in the May 2022 general election.
Meeting Prime Minister Albanese on November 6, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China and Australia have embarked on the right path of improving relations. He noted:
“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the visit by Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Your visit is a journey to retrace history and plan for the future. Thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, China and Australia have resumed exchanges in various fields and embarked on the right path of improving relations.”
Xi said China and Australia are both Asia-Pacific countries and important members of the G20, with no historical grievances or fundamental conflicts of interest, but every reason to be partners of mutual trust and mutual achievement, calling on the two sides to keep to the right direction of bilateral relations amid the profound changes in the world.
In the stormy waters of the global crisis, countries are not riding on more than 190 small boats, but instead on a big boat with a common destiny, he added.
China and Australia should follow the trend of the times, proceed from the common interests of the two countries, pursue a bilateral relationship that features treating each other on an equal footing, seeking common ground while shelving differences and mutually beneficial cooperation.
In remarks that might be taken as an oblique reference to Australia’s participation in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad, along with the United States, Japan and India, and the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal with the United States and Britain, Xi said that in the Asia-Pacific region, China does not engage in exclusive cliques, bloc politics, or camp confrontation. Small cliques can neither solve the major challenges facing the world nor adapt to the drastic changes in today’s world. He urged vigilance against and opposition to those attempts to throw the region into chaos.
Prime Minister Albanese said it was a great honor to pay an official visit to China on this historic occasion of the 50th anniversary of Mr. Whitlam’s visit to China. In recent years, China has made remarkable achievements in poverty alleviation and development. Australia and the world have benefited significantly from China’s long-term, stable, and sustained development.
Albanese said the two sides should respect each other, be equal and benefit each other, stay in communication, enhance understanding and cooperation, and achieve win-win results. He said the Chinese people have the right to development, and he is always optimistic about China’s economy.
As Australia and China have different political systems, it is normal for differences to occur, but they should not be allowed to define the relationship. Australia and China share extensive common interests, and dialogue and cooperation is the right choice, he said.
He added that Australia adheres to the one-China policy and stands ready to work with China to promote the steady development of bilateral relations.
A joint statement agreed by the two nations likewise noted that Albanese had undertaken an “official visit to China from November 4 to 7, 2023, to mark the 50th anniversary of the first visit to China by an Australian Prime Minister, the Hon. Edward Gough Whitlam.”
Both sides welcomed the successful recommencement of the Annual Leaders’ Meeting between Premier Li and Prime Minister Albanese.
They reaffirmed their support for their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and reiterated the importance of a stable, constructive bilateral relationship. The two sides reiterated the importance of the 1972 Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the People’s Republic of China and Australia and restated their commitment to their respective national policies and positions contained therein, including mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit, stable development, and Australia’s commitment to its one-China Policy. They agreed that both nations could grow the bilateral relationship and uphold their respective national interests if they navigated their differences wisely.
While Prime Minister Albanese’s visit does not resolve all the issues complicating the relations between Australia and China, and does not represent a fundamental shift on the part of Canberra, it nevertheless represents a noteworthy step forward and a not insignificant breach in the united front of the Anglo-Saxon imperialist powers (or ‘Five Eyes’) against China. This finds symbolic reflection in Australia’s agreement to China’s preferred choice of framing the visit around the 50th anniversary of the first ever visit of an Australian Prime Minister.
Gough Whitlam, who remains a highly respected figure in China, was the longest-serving leader of the Australian Labor Party and served as Australia’s Prime Minister from December 1972 to November 1975. Whitlam established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China within three weeks of his becoming Prime Minister. He also withdrew Australian troops from the Vietnam War and ended military conscription, established diplomatic relations with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, ended Australian colonial rule in Papua New Guinea, began the process of land reform for the First Nations (granting the first set of title deeds to lands to the Gurindji people), and introduced universal health care and free university education.
His policies earned him the ire not only of the Australian right wing but also of the British and US imperialists, with the latter especially fearing for the future of their Pine Gap spy base and surveillance centre, after Whitlam learned that he had been deceived as to its true purpose. As a result, he was removed from office in a constitutional coup fronted by Governor-General Sir John Kerr, but with the active involvement of the Nixon-Kissinger administration in the US, the CIA, Britain’s MI6, and key figures in Buckingham Palace, including the present monarch, Charles III.
And whilst it is the anniversary of Whitlam’s China visit as Prime Minister that is presently being marked, one reason why he was able to move towards the establishment of diplomatic relations with China with such rapidity is that, previously, in July 1971, he had already visited the country at the head of an Australian Labor Party delegation, which was also joined by political advisers, China specialists and journalists. This trip, during which he met with Premier Zhou Enlai (he was also to meet with Chairman Mao Zedong on his 1973 visit), was also criticised in some quarters for its potential negative impact on Australia’s relations with the United States. However, it later became known that just as Whitlam’s delegation was leaving Beijing, US National Security Adviser, Henry Kissinger, was arriving to arrange President Nixon’s own visit to China, which took place in February 1972.
The following articles were originally published by the Xinhua News Agency and by the Whitlam Institute, which is housed within Western Sydney University.
China, Australia embark on right path of improving ties: Xi
BEIJING, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Beijing on Monday, saying China and Australia have embarked on the right path of improving relations.
“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the visit by Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. Your visit is a journey to retrace history and plan for the future. Thanks to the joint efforts of both sides, China and Australia have resumed exchanges in various fields and embarked on the right path of improving relations,” Xi told Albanese.
Xi said China and Australia are both Asia-Pacific countries and important members of the G20, with no historical grievances or fundamental conflicts of interest, but every reason to be partners of mutual trust and mutual achievement, calling on the two sides to keep to the right direction of bilateral relations amid the profound changes in the world.
From the perspective of self-interest, the world is small and crowded, with risks and competition all the time. From the perspective of shared destiny, the world is vast and broad, with opportunities and cooperation everywhere. In the stormy waters of the global crisis, countries are not riding on more than 190 small boats, but instead on a big boat with a common destiny, Xi said.
China and Australia should follow the trend of the times, proceed from the common interests of the two countries, pursue a bilateral relationship that features treating each other on an equal footing, seeking common ground while shelving differences and mutually beneficial cooperation, and push forward the China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership, Xi said.
This serves the common interests of the two countries and peoples, meets the common expectations of countries in the region, and helps the international community better respond to the risks and challenges brought about by the changes unseen in a century, Xi said.
Xi stressed that at present, the global economy is facing increasingly destabilizing, uncertain, and unpredictable factors, and the economies of all countries are facing considerable challenges. In the face of a complex external environment, the Chinese economy has withstood pressure, stabilized its size, and improved its quality.
“China’s development still has a sound foundation and many favorable conditions. With its steady development, China will bring valuable certainty to the uncertain world economy. China cannot develop in isolation from the world, and the world needs China for its development,” Xi said.
Xi said that “small yard, high fence,” “decoupling and severing industrial and supply chains,” or “de-risking,” are essentially protectionism, which runs counter to the laws of the market, the laws of scientific and technological development, and the trend of human society.
He said China pursues a win-win strategy of opening up, seeks a new development pattern, and comprehensively promotes building China into a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization, which will bring unprecedented opportunities to Australia and other countries.
“China and Australia should enhance mutual understanding and trust through peaceful coexistence and achieve common development through mutually beneficial cooperation,” Xi said.
He called on both sides to give full play to the potential of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, expand cooperation in emerging areas such as climate change and green economy, uphold the global and regional free trade system, and provide a sound business environment for the investment and operation of companies.
He also said the two governments should support exchanges between their legislatures, political parties, think tanks, youth, and sub-national regions, facilitate cross-border travel and enhance mutual understanding and amity between the two peoples to cement public support for friendship between the two countries.
Xi said in the Asia-Pacific region, China does not engage in exclusive cliques, bloc politics, or camp confrontation. Small cliques can neither solve the major challenges facing the world nor adapt to the drastic changes in today’s world. He urged vigilance against and opposition to those attempts to throw the region into chaos.
“China is ready to carry out more trilateral and multilateral cooperation with Australia to support South Pacific countries in enhancing development resilience, addressing climate change and other challenges, and maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region through openness and inclusiveness,” the Chinese president said.
Albanese said it was a great honor to pay an official visit to China on this historic occasion of the 50th anniversary of Mr. Whitlam’s visit to China. In recent years, China has made remarkable achievements in poverty alleviation and development. Australia and the world have benefited significantly from China’s long-term, stable, and sustained development.
Albanese said the two sides should respect each other, be equal and benefit each other, stay in communication, enhance understanding and cooperation, and achieve win-win results. He said the Chinese people have the right to development, and he is always optimistic about China’s economy.
As Australia and China have different political systems, it is normal for differences to occur, but they should not be allowed to define the relationship. Australia and China share extensive common interests, and dialogue and cooperation is the right choice, he said.
He said Australia adheres to the one-China policy and stands ready to work with China to promote the steady development of bilateral relations, strengthen economic and trade exchanges, enhance cooperation in clean energy and climate change, and bring more benefits to the two peoples. He expressed a willingness to advance communication with China on regional affairs, including the Pacific Islands Forum.
Full text: Statement on joint outcomes of the China-Australia annual leaders’ meeting
BEIJING, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) — The following is the full text of the statement on joint outcomes of the China-Australia annual leaders’ meeting issued on Tuesday.
STATEMENT ON JOINT OUTCOMES OF THE CHINA-AUSTRALIA ANNUAL LEADERS’ MEETING
I. At the invitation of H.E. Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister of Australia, undertook an official visit to China from November 4 to 7, 2023, to mark the 50th anniversary of the first visit to China by an Australian Prime Minister, the Hon Edward Gough Whitlam.
II. During the visit, H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, met Prime Minister Albanese. Premier Li Qiang and Prime Minister Albanese jointly held talks on November 7. H.E. Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, also met Prime Minister Albanese. The leaders had an in-depth exchange of views on China-Australia relations, as well as on regional and international issues. Both sides welcomed the successful recommencement of the Annual Leaders’ Meeting between Premier Li and Prime Minister Albanese.
III. The leaders reaffirmed their support for the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and reiterated the importance of a stable, constructive bilateral relationship. The two sides reiterated the importance of the 1972 Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the People’s Republic of China and Australia and restated their commitment to their respective national policies and positions contained therein, including mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit, stable development and Australia’s commitment to its one-China Policy. They agreed that both nations could grow the bilateral relationship and uphold their respective national interests if they navigated their differences wisely.
IV. The two sides acknowledged the importance of political dialogue and welcomed the continuing stabilisation and development of the bilateral political relationship. They agreed that a series of meetings between the leadership and ministers of both countries since 2022 as well as the resumption of key foreign policy and economic dialogues were in the interests of both countries.
V. The two sides reaffirmed the importance of the UN Charter and compliance with their WTO commitments and agreed to continue to work together in the United Nations, G20, APEC, East Asia Summit and other multilateral platforms. The two sides attached importance to cooperation under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP).
VI. The two sides welcomed the contribution of people-to-people exchanges to the bilateral relationship, including the increasing exchanges of students, tourists and business people following the lifting of border measures. They welcomed the resumption of the China-Australia High-Level Dialogue.
VII. The leaders agreed to continue or expand engagement in:
·political dialogue, including through resuming the Annual Leaders’ Meeting between the Chinese Premier and the Australian Prime Minister, the Foreign and Strategic Dialogue, the Strategic Economic Dialogue, the Joint Ministerial Economic Commission, as well as other government-to-government mechanisms;
·bilateral trade by reaffirming the importance of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and agreeing to the facilitation of trade and economic links, including through holding the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement Joint Commission meetings in Australia at an early date, holding China-Australia CEO Roundtable meetings, reaffirming commitment to the Authorised Economic Operator Mutual Recognition Arrangement, progressing the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and working towards MOUs on standards, measurement, intellectual property, competition, education and food safety;
·climate change, energy and environment, including through recommencing the bilateral climate change and energy dialogues, and commencing technical cooperation on soil carbon testing and climate-smart agriculture practices;
·people-to-people links, including through the 15th Implementation Program under the 1981 Agreement of Cultural Cooperation, and exchanges in culture, sports, education, innovation, academia, aviation, health and tourism; and
·the facilitation of exchanges, including the agreement to provide access to three to five year multi-entry visas for visitors and business people on a reciprocal basis.
VIII. China welcomed the invitation of the Australian side for Chinese leaders to visit Australia at a mutually convenient time.
1971: Gough Whitlam visits China
July 1, 2021 (Whitlam Institute) — In July, 1971, Gough Whitlam, as Leader of the Opposition, embarked on a historic trip to the People’s Republic of China.
Accompanying him on that trip was a delegation of Labor parliamentarians, political advisers, China experts – including Dr Stephen FitzGerald, now Distinguished Fellow at the Whitlam Institute – and journalists.
The trip was historic for many reasons: Gough Whitlam was one of the first Western leaders, in opposition at the time, to make high-level political contact with the most populous communist power in the world during the Cold War. And the visit demonstrated Whitlam’s ambition to reimagine Australian foreign policy and reposition Australia in the world.
Dr FitzGerald said of the trip, “Gough Whitlam had a breadth of vision on international geopolitics unmatched by any Australian leader. He also understood it was critical to any new direction in foreign policy to have widespread public understanding and support.”
The influence of Cold War fears prevailed over Australian politics at this time, making it a politically risky venture. The trip was criticised as potentially damaging Australia’s alliance with the United States, which did not have diplomatic relations with China.
Whitlam’s bold initiative was vindicated, however, when it was revealed that just as Whitlam’s ALP delegation was leaving Beijing, US National Security Adviser, Henry Kissinger, was arriving to arrange President Nixon’s own visit to China.
“In one fell swoop, his 1971 visit to China not only paved the way for diplomatic relations and a resumption of important trade, it changed how Australians understood China in our foreign policy and opened the way to public support for engagement with Asia on a new basis of equality and mutual respect,” said Dr FitzGerald.
In1972, within three weeks of taking office, the Whitlam Government had negotiated an agreement with the People’s Republic of China to establish diplomatic relations between that country and Australia, cementing a radical shift in Australia’s outlook on the world, and its region. For decades, Australia had looked to China with distrust, anxiety and paranoia. The Whitlam Government’s establishment of diplomatic relations allowed a mature cultural, social and economic relationship to develop.
The Whitlam Institute commemorates this historic visit and its impact on Australia-China relations. Gough Whitlam’s strategic, respectful, informed and independent approach to diplomacy established a new place for Australia in the World. Fifty years on, much can be drawn from this approach in how we tackle the foreign policy challenges of today.
