The Victorian premier Daniel Andrews says it was his decision not to invite journalists or key stakeholders on his four-day trip to China and has batted off criticism he had failed to be transparent about the visit.
Andrews this week became the first Australian leader to travel to China since the start of the pandemic and the announcement of the Aukus defence pact, visiting Beijing, Jiangsu and Sichuan before returning on Saturday.
It was Andrews’ seventh trip to China and was pitched as a mission to strengthen Victoria’s standing among prospective international students living there. No journalists, ministers or stakeholders were invited, leading to criticism from the union representing media and from state and federal Liberals.
The Victorian opposition leader, John Pesutto, said on Sunday that while he welcomed the trip it was “shrouded in secrecy and many questions remain”.
“The premier’s press release today poses more questions than answers,” Pesutto said. “All he’s got to show for his trip to China this week is the establishment of three working groups. Many questions still remain about this trip and we intend to pursue them.”
Pesutto said Andrew’s approach was in stark contrast to that of Western Australian premier, Mark McGowan, who on Sunday announced he will lead a five-day trade mission to China to reconnect with the state’s largest trading partner and invited the media.
“If it’s good enough for Mark McGowan to bring media and to give advance notice of his trip, why didn’t the premier do the same?” Pesutto said.
Andrews defended the decision at a press conference at Monash University in Clayton on Sunday, saying it was common for him to travel overseas without media.
“The last trip back in 2019, I travelled to China and Vietnam and there were no media with me,” he told reporters. “It’s not always the case that the media travels with us and I’m not certain that visas would have been issued.”
Andrews said the nature of the trip meant it was not “appropriate” to bring either media or a delegation from Victoria’s universities.
“It was back-to-back meetings. It wasn’t a trip to go and do deals and it wasn’t a trip to take 100 businesses or 10 vice-chancellors,” he said.
“This was about sending a really clear message that after a terribly disruptive event, a tragic event, we still value and we want to see the relationship and partnership [between Victoria and China] deepen.”
The premier said he spoke with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, in the lead-up to his trip as well as Jan Adams, the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat).
Dfat did not advise the premier not to bring media. Rather, he said it was his decision.
Andrews also confirmed it was his decision not to raise the case with Chinese officials of Victorian journalist Cheng Lei, who has been imprisoned in the country for more than two years, despite pleas from her partner to do so.
“This is a very challenging issue for her and for her family and we send our best wishes to them at what is undoubtedly a very, very challenging time … but it’s not my practice to cut across what can what can be very complicated, very delicate consular matter,” he said.
Andrews said he attended no meetings outside the 10 disclosed by his department. He said issues such as defence, foreign or strategic policy, the signing of the Aukus deal and China’s record on human rights were not discussed.
“As a state leader, those matters were not raised. If they had been raised, then I would have offered very little comment other than to say that they’re not matters that I have a responsibility for,” he said.
The premier announced the outcomes of his trip, which included establishing a working group between Victoria’s education department, the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions and the Chinese Ministry of Education to attract more international students to Melbourne.
He said he hoped this would include masters students and PhD candidates, who could come for short-stay exchange or longer visits to the city.
Another working group will be set up between Victoria and the Sichuan region – home to 91 million people – following a meeting between the premier and Wang Xiaohui, party secretary of the CPC Sichuan provincial committee.
Xiaohui will visit Victoria after the upcoming World University Games in Sichuan to provide advice to the state, which is hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The governor of Jiangsu will also visit Victoria in 2024, Andrews confirmed.
