Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese President Xi Jinping have met, in the lead up to the G20 Leader’s Summit in Brazil.
Albanese held the formal talks at Xi’s hotel in Rio de Janeiro before both leaders arrived at the summit.
The two last met for a formal bilateral meeting in Beijing last December and at the previous G20 summit in Bali in 2022.
During the meeting, President Xi Jinping acknowledged the “twists and turns” in his government’s relations with Australia, while Mr Albanese aimed to solidify the strategic and economic partnership.
Both leaders acknowledged the meeting was held 10 years to the day after the two countries had signed a strategic partnership, an agreement put in place by then prime minister Tony Abbott when Xi visited Australia.
Xi emphasised the improvement in recent years, saying there had been a “turnaround” in relations in recent times and did not rule out expanding the economic ties, despite previous trade disputes.
Addressing Albanese, he said “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.”
In a press conference after the meeting, Albanese stated that while the improved relationship with China had helped the Australian economy, he would always address the differences between the two countries.
“I’ve said we will disagree where we must and we do disagree on a range of issues. We have different political systems.” Mr Albanese said.