Leaders Meet on Sidelines of ASEAN Summit
Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese held bilateral talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Monday, October 27, 2025. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the leaders' meetings on East Asian cooperation, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit. Premier Li expressed China's readiness to foster a 'more mature, stable and productive China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership' . This marks Albanese's seventh meeting with Li, underscoring ongoing diplomatic engagement between the two nations .
Deepening Economic and Strategic Cooperation
During their discussions, Premier Li Qiang outlined China's commitment to expanding mutually beneficial cooperation. Key areas identified for enhanced collaboration include the green economy, high-tech industries, and the digital sector . China also expressed willingness to strengthen the alignment of development strategies and policy coordination with Australia . To facilitate this, both sides are prepared to leverage institutional dialogues such as the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue and the joint economic commission, and to explore advancing the review and upgrading of their bilateral free trade agreement . Premier Li also voiced hope that Australia would provide an 'open, transparent and non-discriminatory environment' for Chinese enterprises investing in the country .
Australia's Perspective and Regional Concerns
Prime Minister Albanese affirmed Australia's commitment to promoting the 'mature and stable development' of bilateral relations . He noted that Australia-China relations are 'developing soundly with practical cooperation in various fields progressing smoothly' . Albanese stated that the relationship has 'improved' and is 'stabilising' , emphasizing that China remains Australia's 'largest trading partner' . The Australian Prime Minister also raised concerns regarding a recent incident in the South China Sea on October 19, where a Chinese military aircraft reportedly deployed flares near an Australian military surveillance plane . Albanese described his approach to such issues as 'engage directly' and having 'frank discussions' between friends . Additionally, Albanese discussed Australia's recent critical-minerals deal with the United States .
Broader Context and Future Outlook
The talks follow a meeting in July between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Albanese, which aimed to map out new plans for deepening relations . Over recent months, bilateral ties have shown a positive trend, with steady progress in exchanges and cooperation across various fields . China had previously removed trade barriers that were imposed in 2020, which had impacted Australian exporters by up to $13 billion annually . Both leaders also expressed readiness to advance exchanges in youth, education, and tourism, and to strengthen coordination in multilateral mechanisms like the United Nations and the World Trade Organization .
5 Comments
Africa
This is just lip service. Beijing always prioritizes its own agenda.
Bermudez
Removing trade barriers was a smart move. More cooperation, less conflict.
Habibi
"Stable" partnership? Don't forget the South China Sea aggression.
ZmeeLove
China's dominance is the real story here. Australia needs to be wary.
Muchacho
While increased economic cooperation is a positive step for both nations, Australia must remain vigilant about its sovereignty, especially given recent South China Sea incidents. It's a delicate balance between trade and national security.