Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived in Shanghai, beginning a six-day tour across three Chinese cities, with discussions expected to focus on regional security concerns and strengthening economic relations.
This marks Albanese’s second visit to China, where he is scheduled to meet President Xi Jinping. The trip comes as Australia tightens scrutiny of Chinese investments in critical minerals and amid growing global economic uncertainty due to sweeping tariffs introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Here is a summary of key developments in Australia-China relations in recent years:
Nov 2014: Australia finalises a landmark free trade agreement with China after a decade of talks, which takes effect in 2015.
Dec 2017: In response to concerns over foreign influence, Australia bans political donations from abroad.
Aug 2018: Huawei is barred from providing equipment for Australia’s 5G network due to security concerns.
Apr 2020: Australia calls for an independent probe into COVID-19’s origins. China’s ambassador warns of boycotts targeting Australian wine, beef, and tourism.
Jun 2020: China cautions students about studying in Australia, citing racism, threatening a major education export market.
Aug 2020: Australian journalist Cheng Lei is detained in China.
Nov 2020: China imposes anti-dumping tariffs on Australian wine and restricts imports of lobster, timber, and barley. Its embassy issues a list of 14 grievances, including blocked Chinese investments.
May 2022: Albanese’s Labor Party wins the federal election, ending nearly ten years of conservative governance.
Nov 2022: Albanese meets Xi on the sidelines of the G20, their first leaders’ meeting since 2016.
Jan 2023: China allows select companies to resume coal imports from Australia.
Aug 2023: Tariffs on Australian barley are removed.
Oct 2023: Cheng Lei is released from prison after three years in detention.
Oct 2023: China agrees to review its 218% tariffs on Australian wine, prompting Australia to pause a WTO case.
Nov 2023: During his Beijing visit, Albanese tells Xi and Premier Li that strong bilateral ties are vital for the future. Xi echoes the sentiment, calling for deeper cooperation.
Jan 2024: Australia pushes back against China’s attempts to shift blame over a naval incident that injured Australian divers near Japan.
Feb 2024: Australian writer Yang Hengjun is given a suspended death sentence after five years in detention.
Mar 2024: China lifts wine tariffs, spurring renewed imports.
Dec 2024: Final restrictions on Australian beef are removed; China resumes lobster imports.
Dec 2024: Australia funds rugby league in Papua New Guinea in exchange for the island nation avoiding security ties with China.
Feb 2025: Foreign Minister Penny Wong criticises China for giving insufficient notice about a live-fire naval drill that disrupted civilian air traffic near Australia and New Zealand.
May 2025: Albanese secures a second term as prime minister following national elections.
A major Tehran airport came under heavy air attacks on Saturday morning (7 March), Iranian news agencies reported. The attacks on Mehrabad Airport ...
Officials in Azerbaijan have said they have stopped terror attacks in Azerbaijan including on an Israeli Embassy, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline&...
U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” almost a week into the c...
Newly released FBI records summarising interviews with an unidentified woman contain allegations that U.S. President Donald Trump attempted to forc...
The Israeli military says it has destroyed an underground bunker beneath Iran’s leadership complex in Tehran...
A major Tehran airport came under heavy air attacks on Saturday morning (7 March), Iranian news agencies reported. The attacks on Mehrabad Airport came as the Middle East conflict entered its seventh day.
Officials in Azerbaijan have said they have stopped terror attacks in Azerbaijan including on an Israeli Embassy, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and a Synagogue. Tensions between regional and global powers escalate. Military activity, security alerts and travel disruptions continue.
U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” almost a week into the conflict with Tehran. Trump made the comments on social media on Friday (6 March), hours after the Iranian president said unspecified countries had begun mediation efforts.
The Israeli military says it has destroyed an underground bunker beneath Iran’s leadership complex in Tehran that it claims was built for former supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
In an exclusive interview with AnewZ, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the Islamic Republic is "not targeting neighbouring countries," amid reports of drone strikes on Nakhchivan International Airport on Thursday (5 March).
Trump tells Axios he wants direct involvement in who takes over as Iran's next leader, rejecting Khamenei's son as "unacceptable" and citing the need for a figure who can bring "peace and harmony".
Officials in Azerbaijan have said they have stopped terror attacks in Azerbaijan including on an Israeli Embassy, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and a Synagogue. Tensions between regional and global powers escalate. Military activity, security alerts and travel disruptions continue.
Türkiye and Iran’s foreign ministers spoke by phone after reports that a ballistic missile entered Turkish airspace, with Tehran denying responsibility and insisting its recent strikes targeted only U.S. and Israeli facilities.
China has called on Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their growing border dispute through dialogue and diplomatic channels, as clashes between their security forces entered a seventh day and left more than 160 people dead or injured, according to the United Nations.
Newly released FBI records summarising interviews with an unidentified woman contain allegations that U.S. President Donald Trump attempted to force her to perform a sexual act when she was a teenager, according to documents published by the U.S. Justice Department.
Australia’s move to ban social media access for children under 16 has intensified a global debate, as governments around the world weigh tougher rules amid growing concerns over mental health, safety and screen addiction.
Indonesia will restrict access to social media platforms for children under 16, its communications and digital ministry said on Friday (6 March), becoming the latest country to introduce online guardrails aimed at reducing the risks of addiction and cyberbullying.
Ukraine has accused Hungary of taking seven employees of a state-owned bank hostage in Budapest.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 6th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment