UPDATE - ‘Wise navigation of differences’: China’s Xi meets Australian premier

UPDATE WITH XI'S REMARK, CHANGES DECK

By Riyaz ul Khaliq and Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - China's President Xi Jinping met with visiting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday, state media reported.

Albanese is in China, where he attended the sixth China International Import Expo – a global event attended by several foreign leaders.
President Xi said Albanese's visit builds on the past achievements and opens up new prospects, according to China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying.

"Thanks to concerted efforts of both sides, bilateral exchanges in various fields have resumed and ties between our countries are on the right track of improvement and growth," Xi added.

Ahead of the Xi-Albanese meeting, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong met with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing.

"I discussed the sound progress Australia and China have made towards a more stable and constructive bilateral relationship," Wong said on X, following her meeting with Wang.

"The wise navigation of differences is an important element of strengthening our relationship," she said.

Earlier today, Albanese and Wong visited the Temple of Heaven in the Chinese capital.

"It is 50 years since Gough Whitlam became the first Australian Prime Minister to visit China," Albanese said on X.

Albanese is the first Australian leader to visit China since 2016.

"Since he (Gough Whitlam) visited the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, much has changed," the Australian prime minister said.

"But what is constant is that engagement between our two countries remains important," he added.

Accompanying Albanese was Wong, who said Whitlam's "historic visit" in 1973 "laid the groundwork for the diplomatic ties that link the people of Australia and China together to this day."

"Today," she said, Albanese and "I retraced his steps with a visit to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing."

The bilateral trade between China and Australia hovers around $231.2 billion.