Three simple words Xi Jinping used to send a pointed message to Anthony Albanese during their G20 meeting - after China gave PM the 'compliment that no-one wants'
Xi Jinping has acknowledged the twists and turns in Chinas recent tumultuous relationship with Australia after sitting down with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ahead of the G20 summit in Brazil.
Xi Jinping has acknowledged the twists and turns in Chinas recent tumultuous relationship with Australia after sitting down with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ahead of the G20 summit in Brazil.
It was the third formal talks between the pair since Mr Albanese took office in 2022, after tense relations between his predecessor Scott Morrison and China.
The talks marked 10 years to the day since the two countries signed a comprehensive strategic partnership put in place by then prime minister Tony Abbott during President Xis visit to Australia and address in federal parliament.
Later at the summit, President Xi noted the turnaround in relations between Australia and China in recent times and hopes to continue strengthening economic ties.
The meeting followed Beijings state-owned newspaper China Daily praising Prime Minister Albanese as a world leader that others from the West should try to emulate.
Over the past decade, we have made some progress in China-Australia relations and also witnessed some twists and terms, President Xi said on Monday.
That trajectory has many inspirations to offer... Now, our relations have realised a turnaround and continue to grow, bringing tangible benefits to our two peoples. So this is the result of our collective hard work in the same direction, and should be maintained with great care.
Anthony Albanese (left) met with Chinas President Xi Jinping (right) ahead of the G20 summit in Brazil
Mr Albanese is pictured (centre) at the meeting in Brazil with Chinas President Xi
I wish to work with you, Mr Prime Minister, to make our comprehensive strategic partnership more mature, stable and fruitful, and inject more stability and certainty to the region and the wider world.
Mr Albanese thanked President Xi for hosting him in Beijing last year and welcomed the fact that leaders meetings recommenced between the two countries.
The Prime Minister also took to X to share footage of the two leaders shaking hands and declared how stabilising relations in the interests of both nations.
Dialogue is critical, and weve made encouraging progress. Trade is flowing more freely. And that brings benefits to both countries, and to people and businesses on both sides, Mr Albanese wrote.
Our approach will remain patient, calibrated and deliberate. It is important that we have direct discussions on the issues that matter to us, and to the stability and prosperity of our region.
The glowing editorial in the China Daily last Thursday complimented Australia for waking up about the importance of China and praising Mr Albanese for his strategic autonomy.
Australias ties with China deteriorated when the previous Australian government fell under Washingtons anti-China spell, the editorial read.
But Canberra has woken up to the significance of those ties under the Albanese government and set out repairing them.
But Mr Albanese said his government had not changed our position on any of the key differences that we have with China.
Instead, the government had worked to rebuild trade relations to boost Australias economic prosperity and job creation.
We continue to explore opportunities for practical co-operation in areas of shared interest, including on our energy transition and climate change, Mr Albanese said.
Our whole region will benefit from the prosperity that can flow from peace, security and stability in our region.
That is why our direct discussions to build deeper understanding on the issues that matter to us are so important.
President Xi (right) is pictured at the meeting between the Chinese president and Anthony Albanese
Mr Albanese was later seen greeting world leaders at the G20 Summit 2024 at Museu de Arte Moderna in Rio de Janeiro
President Xi hopes to get countries such as Australia on his side amid the potential of a tariff war with the US once Donald Trump becomes the American president again in January.
Mr Albanese will have to be careful not to upset either China or the US as the world waits to see if Mr Trump will do exactly as he has vowed or if there will be some room for maneuver.
Under the watch of the Labor government since May 2022, China has lifted bans on almost $20billion worth of Australian products, which had been imposed under the previous Coalition administration under Mr Morrison.
Addressing a meeting about hunger and poverty in Rio de Janeiro, the Prime Minister linked the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East to food shortages, high inflation and poverty.
At the session, held on Tuesday morning Australian time, Mr Albanese said that in times of global turmoil it is always those who have the least who are hurt the most.
While peace alone does not guarantee prosperity – conflict always brings poverty ... We see that in the shocking loss of innocent life in the Middle East.
We see it in the ongoing toll that Russias invasion is taking on the brave people of Ukraine.
The Prime Minister said G20 summit of the leaders of the worlds 20 biggest economies, including Australia, offered a vital opportunity for the international community to call for a de-escalation of the violence in the Middle East.
He said it presents the chance to condemn the illegal and immoral actions of Russias invasion of Ukraine.
Mr Albanese also used his speech to condemn North Korea - an ally of China - which he said is sending soldiers to fight in the Ukraine war while its own people starve.
Anthony Albanese and his fiancee Jodie Haydon (pictured) arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night local time
The Prime Minister and Ms Haydon are pictured attending Sunday mass at the Catholic Cathedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro
The Prime Minister urged the other world leaders there not to lose sight of the effect that worldwide economic challenges have on people in their daily lives.
Mr Albanese and his fiance Jodie Haydon arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night local time.
Pictures released by the Prime Ministers office showed them walking around the city and attending Sunday mass at the Catholic Cathedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro.
Mr Albanese will also have one-on-one meetings with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in the coming days.
Before flying to Rio de Janeiro for the G20 meeting, he was in Lima, Peru for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
From Lima, Mr Albanese tweeted that More trade means more jobs. Thats what Im promoting here at APEC and next week at the G20.
