Australia and China – tiptoeing towards better ties

In recent years, Australia has been increasingly concerned about China's efforts to build ties across the Pacific.

Jonathan Pearlman

Jonathan Pearlman

The Straits Times

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October 10, 2022

SYDNEY – In July, Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong held a highly anticipated meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that ended a three-year freeze on high-level talks between the two nations – but the jubilation quickly turned sour.

At first, these talks were widely welcomed as a sign of a turnaround in the torrid ties between Australia and its largest trading partner. Indeed, the encounter went overtime and was Mr Wang’s longest one-on-one meeting on the sidelines of a Group of 20 (G-20) gathering in Bali.

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