MELBOURNE, 11 October 2023: Australian Prime Minister Antony Albanese will visit China this year (2023). This was confirmed by Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence today during an interaction at the Asia Briefing Live, organised by the Asia Society Australia, at the Zinc, Federation Square. The Minister was speaking at the ‘Fireside Chat on Australia’s Strategic Outlook’, at the event.
Saying Australia’s alliance with the United States is hugely important, the Minister said, ” China is a complex relationship. We value the productive relations with China”.
Earlier, the Chinese Ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, speaking during the ‘View from China’ segment said his country was looking forward to PM Antony Albanese’s visit to China and said., ” We are at a very stable bilateral relationship. We need each other.”
“Chinese market is important for Australia. And, we want Australian Iron-ore.” he said.
He added, ” We respect our differences, we respect each other.”
Tanvi Madan, Brookings Institution, in her online comment said, the dynamics of India-China relations and the dynamics of US-China relations are different because India has a border dispute with China. And, BRICS is important for India as a non-Western platform.
About the India-West relations, Tanvi said, The Western countries want India to be an ally, but don’t treat India as a partner. Plus, we have to deal with the India which the voters choose. India’s sensitiveness about its domestic politics has to be accepted.
