Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Penny Wong (黃英賢) yesterday expressed her government’s “desire for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait” in her meeting with Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) in Canberra.
Australia and China, its largest trading partner, are rebuilding ties after a period of strained relations that hit a low in 2020 after Canberra called for an independent investigation into the origin of COVID-19.
Beijing responded by imposing tariffs on billions of dollars of Australian commodity imports, most of which have been lifted since a change of government in Canberra two years ago.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“I look forward to speaking frankly with you about Australians detained in China, human rights, maritime security and safety, as well as regional and international issues, such as the Pacific, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East,” Wong said in her opening remarks.
After the meeting, she addressed Chinese and Australian reporters and said the two nations would work to prepare for a visit by Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強) this year, emphasizing the importance of face-to-face diplomacy to better understand each other.
Australia and China would expand dialogue on the Pacific, and on climate and energy cooperation, Wong said.
“I expressed our serious concern about unsafe conduct at sea, our desire for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in our region,” she said, a reference to friction with China’s navy in the South China Sea.
Regarding China’s sovereignty, dignity and concerns, including Taiwan, Wang said in a in a statement released by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Beijing hopes Canberra would continue to honor the commitments it has made since the establishment of diplomatic relations, and respect and properly handle them.
Beijing’s and Canberra’s interests far outweigh the differences, Wang said, adding that the countries do not have a historical grudge or a fundamental conflict of interest.
“Both sides should adhere to the fundamental principles of international law, such as respecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.
Wong said she raised the case of Yang Hengjun (楊恒均), an Australian writer who was given a suspended death sentence by a Beijing court last month, and told Wang that Australians were shocked by the sentence.
In another sign diplomacy was back on track, Wong said it was likely two pandas on loan from China since 2009, and due to return this year, would have their stay in her home city of Adelaide extended.
“We are on a good path there to continued panda presence,” she told reporters after the meeting.
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