Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has kicked off his highly anticipated tour of China—his second since taking office in 2022 and first since re-election in May. Running from July 12 to 18, the trip comes as the China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership enters its second decade.
"We see this relationship as a bedrock of jobs and growth," Albanese told reporters, highlighting that 25 percent of Australia’s exports head to China. "What that means is jobs, and one of the things my government prioritizes is jobs."
Building on Two Decades of Trade
Economic ties sit at the heart of this visit. Leading a business-heavy delegation—including executives from Macquarie Bank, HSBC Australia, Fortescue, BlueScope, Rio Tinto and BHP—Albanese plans to explore opportunities in:
- Energy exports and infrastructure
- Agriculture, seafood and services
- Tourism pathways and visa facilitation
Since the 2015 China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, bilateral trade has soared past $210 billion in 2024. According to the Australia China Business Council, this partnership has added an average of 2,600 AUD to household incomes, cut living costs by 4.2%, and supported nearly 600,000 jobs nationwide.
Green Tech and Clean Energy Cooperation
With both nations facing climate challenges, green economy sectors are high on the agenda. Experts point to wind power, solar installations and lithium mining as key areas for collaboration. "China leads the world by a staggering margin in electric vehicles and solar panels," says Caroline Wang of Clean Energy Finance.
Wang told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that cooperation on low-carbon tech is essential if Australia hopes to hit its emission targets and build a competitive green industry at home.
From Tourism to Education
Beyond boardrooms and power grids, people-to-people exchanges continue to flourish. More than one million tourists from China visited Australia last year, and both sides recently agreed on a five-year multiple-entry visa deal. China’s new visa exemption policy for Australian citizens promises to boost student exchanges, tourism and cultural ties.
Looking Ahead
Against a backdrop of rising protectionism, the Chinese ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, emphasized the need for "healthy and stable relations." "Deepening cooperation based on mutual respect and equality will benefit both nations and bring stability to the region and beyond," he wrote in the People’s Daily.
As Albanese moves from Beijing to Shanghai and on to Chengdu, the focus remains clear: leverage two decades of partnership to create jobs, innovate in green tech and connect people across borders.
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Albanese's China visit to focus on stronger economic ties, cooperation
cgtn.com
