G20: Xi Jinping looks to Anthony Albanese for trade support as rocky relationship finds its feet

Rio de Janeiro: Xi Jinping has launched a desperate appeal to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, calling on him to stand firm against protectionism as part of a broader charm offensive to shore up allies in the wake of Donald Trump’s election victory.

Despite holding about $20bn of Australian trade hostage for two years, Chinese President Xi Jinping used a meeting with Mr Albanese on the G20 sidelines on Monday (local time) to ask for his commitment to free trade.

Mr Albanese said Mr Trump’s agenda hadn’t been specifically mentioned, but the meeting came as Being stares down the president-elect’s pledged tariffs of up to 60 per cent on Chinese goods and 20 per cent on all others.

Mr Xi, flanked by his Foreign Minister and about a dozen senior officials, acknowledged the “twists and turns” in Beijing’s relationship with Australia and told Mr Albanese “great care” needed to be taken to maintain the partnership.

He said while there had been a “turnaround” in relations, he wanted the pair to work to make the relationship “more mature, stable and fruitful, and inject more stability and certainty to the region and the wider world”.

In their third meeting since 2022, Mr Xi and Mr Albanese reflected on the ten years’ of the comprehensive strategic partnership, with the Chinese leader saying while the relationship had been through a lot in the last decade, discussions with Mr Albanese “were very productive over the past year and more”.

Mr Albanese said he had raised human rights issues, Taiwan, cyber issues, China’s supply of assets to Russia, and the case of detained Australian Yang Hengjunn during their 30 minute meeting.

Beijing put Canberra in the diplomatic freezer in 2020, and had imposed a raft of trade barriers on Australian goods – worth about $20bn at their peak – while communication between the two countries deteriorated.

The “turnaround” was marked when Mr Albanese and Mr Xi resumed top-level talks in late 2022, followed by a meeting in Beijing last December. Most of the restrictions have since been wound back.

“Now, our relations have realised a turnaround and continues to grow, bringing tangible benefits to our two peoples. This is the result of our collective heard work in the same directions, and should be maintained with great care,” Mr Xi said at the top of the meeting, as he invited Mr Albanese to visit China next year.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday night (local time), Mr Albanese said he remained committed to cooperating with China where possible and disagreeing where he must.

He said there had been encouraging progress in the relationship’s stabilisation – especially around trade – but said there was more work to do.

“We’ll engage in our national interest, and we’ve managed to improve relations without compromising any of Australia’s national interests, which we have continued to pursue and will continue to pursue this patient, calibrated and deliberate approach,” he said.

“Which has made a difference, and has both saved but also created thousands of new jobs.”

Their meeting came after Beijing’s mouthpiece the China Daily published a glowing editorial last week, praising Mr Albanese’s “strategic autonomy” amid “unprecedented geopolitical complexity and uncertainty” after Mr Trump’s election.

China nominated Mr Albanese has a role model other US allies should look to as they balance relations with China and the second Trump Administration.

Mr Albanese on Monday defended the relationship with China, but reiterated the US was “our security partnership, our alliance”.

Mr Xi has launched a charm offensive at the G20 and APEC, making his pro-free trade case to outgoing US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and a host of others, as he tries to shore up support ahead of a likely trade war with the incoming Trump Administration.

British journalists were hastily escorted out of the meeting room while Sir Keir was giving his opening remarks after he raised human rights issues, Taiwan, Chinese sanctions on British MPs and the case of Jimmy Lai - a pro-democracy British national facing trial in Hong Kong.

Mr Albanese met with Sir Keir later in the day, where the pair reiterated their commitment to AUKUS and their clean energy forum.

While the pair did not talk about Mr Trump’s election victory formally, Mr Albanese dodged questions about whether it had come up informally.

“Informally, I have chats to people all the time… Obviously, at a press conference like this, on the sidelines, people mention political issues,” Mr Albanese said.

Mr Albanese spoke about the ongoing war in Ukraine Sir Keir, as well as with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyan, and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In a statement from Sir Keir’s office, a spokesperson said both Prime Ministers had agreed “they would do whatever it takes to ensure Putin does not win”.

The G20 is not expected to reach consensus on Russia’s ongoing war in its final communique on Tuesday, given Moscow’s presence at the G20 and the support of its allies.

After outgoing US President Joe Biden gave Ukraine access to long-range missiles to strike within Russia, Mr Erdogan is due to propose a peace plan on the final day of the G20.

Mr Erdogan’s proposal reportedly includes freezing the current front line, Ukraine foregoing joining NATO for at least 10 years, providing Ukraine with weapons, and deploying international troops to a demilitarised zone.

Mr Albanese said Australia “wasn’t participating in the peace talks”, but remained committed to supporting Ukraine.