Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese landed in Shanghai on Saturday for a six-day itinerary encompassing three Chinese cities, where discussions are expected to center on regional security and economic relations.
This marks Albanese’s second visit to China, during which he is scheduled to engage with President Xi Jinping. The visit follows Australia’s increased scrutiny of Chinese investments in critical mineral sectors amidst economic uncertainties stemming from sweeping tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
To provide context, the following timeline outlines key developments in Australia-China relations over recent years:
Nov. 17, 2014 – Australia finalizes a significant free trade agreement with its primary trading partner, China, concluding a decade of negotiations, effective from late 2015.
Dec. 5, 2017 – In response to growing concerns about Chinese influence, Australia implements a ban on foreign political donations to prevent external interference in its political processes.
Aug. 23, 2018 – Australia bars Huawei Technologies from supplying equipment for its forthcoming 5G broadband network, citing national security as the reason.
April 2020 – Australia seeks international backing for an inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting China’s then-ambassador to warn of potential boycotts of Australian wine, beef, and tourism by Chinese consumers.
June 9, 2020 – China advises students considering overseas education to think carefully about choosing Australia, citing incidents of racism and threatening a robust $27.5 billion market for Australian educational services.
August 2020 – Australian citizen Cheng Lei, a business anchor for Chinese state television, is detained in Beijing.
Nov. 27, 2020 – China imposes temporary anti-dumping tariffs on Australian wine, while shipments of Australian lobsters, timber, and barley face restrictions. China’s embassy presents a list of 14 grievances against Australia, including the obstruction of ten Chinese investments on national security grounds.
May 22, 2022 – The Labor Party, under Albanese’s leadership, wins the general election, ending nearly a decade of conservative rule.
Nov. 15, 2022 – Albanese meets Xi on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Indonesia, marking the first leaders’ interaction since 2016.
Jan. 3, 2023 – China permits three government-backed utilities and a major steelmaker to resume coal imports from Australia, indicating a thaw in trade relations.
Aug. 5, 2023 – China lifts its 80.5% tariffs on Australian barley, signaling further steps towards normalization of trade.
Oct. 11, 2023 – After three years of detention on national security charges, Australian journalist Cheng Lei is released by Chinese authorities.
Oct. 22, 2023 – China agrees to reassess its 218% dumping tariffs on Australian wine, while Australia pauses its complaint at the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Nov. 6-7, 2023 – During a visit to Beijing, Albanese conveys to Xi and Premier Li Qiang the importance of a strong bilateral relationship for future cooperation. Xi concurs that stable ties are beneficial for both nations.
Jan. 18, 2024 – Australia rebuffs comments from China’s ambassador that sought to deflect responsibility from China’s navy for an incident injuring Australian military divers near Japan in November.
Feb. 5, 2024 – A Beijing court pronounces a suspended death sentence on Australian writer Yang Hengjun, following his initial detention five years prior and a closed-door trial over espionage allegations.
March 29, 2024 – China eliminates tariffs on Australian wine, resulting in a surge of imports from Australia.
Dec. 3, 2024 – Final restrictions on Australian beef imports are lifted by China, further easing trade tensions.
Dec. 12, 2024 – Australia secures a rugby league funding deal with Papua New Guinea, contingent on the Pacific nation rejecting security or policing links with China.
Dec. 26, 2024 – Following a hiatus, China resumes imports of Australian lobster.
Feb. 21, 2025 – Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong expresses concerns to her Chinese counterpart regarding insufficient notice from the Chinese navy about a live-fire exercise in international waters between Australia and New Zealand, resulting in flight diversions.
May 3, 2025 – Albanese’s government is re-elected, marking a second term for the Labor Party in national elections.
