China rolls out red carpet for Albanese as he becomes first Prime Minister to visit in seven years

The Prime Minister received a red-carpet welcome by China’s top diplomat in Australia, Xiao Qian, Australia’s ambassador to China Graham Fletcher, and the Vice Mayor of Shanghai, Xie Dong.

“It’s very good to be here, I look forward to the visit,” Mr Albanese said on arrival.

The Prime Minister will spend Sunday in Shanghai attending the China International Import Expo where more than 200 Australian businesses will be on show.

Australia’s Trade Minister Don Farrell will also attend the event, lobbying for the removal of restrictions that effectively blacklist Australia’s lobster and beef exports, following the end of punitive tariffs on barley, and a five-month review of tariffs on Australian wine.

Speaking with Sky News on Sunday, Senator Farrell said the trip “gives us the opportunity to completely stabilise our relationship with China.

“We know the progress that we’ve made over the last 18 months … Remember, it was $20 billion worth of (trade) impediments. With the recent announcement in respect of wine, that’s down to $1 billion,” he said.

“We’re hopeful that as a result of this visit, that we can get that down to zero and that the remaining impediments lobster and beef will be removed.”

Mr Albanese will then jet off to Beijing where he will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who he last met a year ago on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Indonesia.

Speaking just before he departed from Darwin, Mr Albanese said the trip was “the result of the patient, calibrated and deliberate approach that we have to the relationship with China”.

“The fact that it is the first visit in seven years to our major trading partner is a very positive step and I look forward to constructive discussions and dialogue with (the) President and the Premier during my visit to Shanghai and Beijing,” he said.

During highly-anticipated trade talks with Mr Albanese, President Xi is expected to bid for his support for China’s entry into the 12-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

The major trade pact, which also includes Japan, New Zealand and Singapore, requires countries to scrap or significantly reduce tariffs for foreign countries and commit to protecting fellow members’ intellectual property rights.

Opposition home affairs spokesman James Paterson said the prime minister should not support China’s attempt to join the agreement.

“It would be absurd if Australia of all countries would support the admission of a new member, which had till recently had been responsible for $20 billion of unlawful and unjust unjustified sanctions against a country with which it has a bilateral free trade agreement with,” Senator Paterson told Sky News.

“Beneath the surface, China is the number one source of espionage risk for Australia, cyber-based attacks, intellectual property.

“Fundamental tensions remain in the relationship – what has changed is China’s tactical approach to Australia to the regional and the world.”