Australia PM Albanese looks to smooth strained ties with China visit

Four-day trip has rocky diplomatic relations at top of agenda as trade booms

Anthony Albanese will meet with Xi Jinping during the first visit by an Australian leader to China in seven years. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by AP and Reuters)

PRASHANT MEHRA, Contributing writer

November 4, 2023 09:00 JST

SYDNEY -- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives in China on Saturday looking to bring back stability to a key relationship that has turned rocky in recent years.

His four-day trip is the culmination of nearly 18 months of diplomatic efforts, with Canberra keen to build on its deep trade ties with Beijing and restore political engagement, balancing this with a growing U.S. defense relationship.