BEIJING – Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese raised concerns with Chinese President Xi Jinping over a Chinese naval live-fire exercise held near Australia earlier this year. The drills, conducted in February in international waters near the Tasman Sea, forced commercial aircraft to reroute due to safety concerns, according to Australian officials.
Albanese discussed the incident during a meeting with Xi on Tuesday, describing their talk as “very constructive.” He acknowledged that China did not violate international law but stressed that Australia was uneasy about the short notice and the use of live fire in busy airspace. Xi responded that the drills were standard military exercises, similar to those conducted by other nations.
The meeting also touched on Taiwan, with Albanese reaffirming Australia’s support for the “One China” policy and the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. He noted that Xi did not mention any pressure from the United States on its allies regarding the Taiwan conflict. Both leaders emphasized the importance of setting aside differences for the greater good of their nations.
While many expected Xi to bring up Australia’s plan to review a Chinese company’s 99-year lease of the Port of Darwin, Albanese confirmed the issue was not discussed. The port lease has drawn criticism from the U.S., which fears it could enable Chinese surveillance of American military activities in the region.
Albanese also met Chinese Premier Li Qiang and National People’s Congress Chairman Zhao Leji. He reiterated the value of economic cooperation, especially with the 10th anniversary of the China-Australia free trade agreement approaching. Leaders from both sides agreed to revisit the agreement in hopes of boosting trade relations.
However, tensions flared during the visit as Australian journalists were reportedly stopped by Chinese security while filming in Beijing. Guards demanded the footage be deleted and threatened to call police. Albanese acknowledged the incident, stating that “China has a different system” when it comes to media freedom, and noted that Australian diplomats had to intervene to resolve the matter.