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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Daniel Hurst Foreign affairs and defence correspondent

Albanese’s China trip suggests a smoother relationship rather than a cosy one

Anthony Albanese (right) and China president Xi Jinping (left)
Anthony Albanese (right) has accepted an invitation from president Xi Jinping (left) to travel to China. The trip is likely to be steeped in symbolism and tied to the 50th anniversary of Gough Whitlam’s first trip to Beijing as prime minister. Composite: Mick Tsikas/EPA/AP/Themba Hadebe

In a far cry from Henry Kissinger’s secret trips to China in the 1970s, Anthony Albanese’s planned travel to the country has been an open secret for months.

Still, the Australian prime minister’s confirmation this week that he had accepted an invitation to fly to Beijing is another key step in his government’s efforts to “stabilise” a relationship that hit rock bottom in 2020.

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