On Tuesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese concluded his four-day visit to China, the first by an Australian leader in seven years.
Before this visit, such a scene seemed unlikely. Since 2017, the relationship between China and Australia has been tense, reaching a nadir over the years. Despite signs of a warming relationship since Albanese took office in May last year, the speed of this thaw has surpassed expectations.
Domestic and international media have focused on this visit, describing the current state of China-Australia relations with phrases like "new chapter" and "major thaw."
Several Australian media outlets highlighted Albanese's popularity on Chinese social media, reporting on comments by Chinese netizens referring to him as "the handsome Australian" to illustrate the visit's relaxed atmosphere.
This description stems from Albanese's Tuesday meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Australian media reported that Li mentioned the lively discussion on Chinese social media about Albanese, including his speech at the China International Import Expo and his morning jog on the Bund in Shanghai, where he interacted with passersby, with people commenting on the presence of "a handsome Australian."
The mainstream Sydney Morning Herald reported that Albanese's visit dominated Chinese media in both English and Chinese, signaling a broader shift in sentiment towards Australia, which could help more Australian businesses enter the world's largest consumer market. Overall, the visit was described as "very positive," solidifying good relations and reducing the sense of conflict between the two nations. At least in terms of trade, the visit was deemed a "complete success."
The Associated Press noted the topics discussed during the Monday meeting between the leaders of China and Australia, from the quality of wine to the countries' iconic animals, indicating a relaxed atmosphere and a keenness to engage in dialogue.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (abc.net.au) reported that the main takeaway from Albanese's visit was a shift from refusing to compromise on certain issues to extensive discussions about friendship, with trade relations truly emerging from a deep freeze. However, despite the emphasis on friendship, some trust issues remain between the two sides.
The ABC article also discussed at length the symbolic significance of the visit. When asked how he hoped people would remember this visit in 50 years, Albanese said it was the culmination of months of hard work, "I hope people will recognize that this was a moment when the relationship between our two countries moved forward."
The symbolic significance of the visit was also a focal point for several British and American media outlets. Bloomberg believed that the main significance of the visit lay in relationship building and its symbolic importance, rather than specific outcomes, with the thaw in China-Australia relations happening "faster than many had anticipated."
Multiple media outlets mentioned Albanese's photo opportunity at the Temple of Heaven.
On Monday, braving the cold, Albanese visited the Temple of Heaven, echoing a famous scene from 50 years ago when the first Australian Prime Minister to visit China did the same. In 1973, a year after establishing diplomatic relations with China, then Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam visited and was photographed at the Temple of Heaven.
Albanese shared several photos of his visit to the Temple of Heaven on social media, writing: "It's been 50 years since Whitlam became the first Australian Prime Minister to visit China. A lot has changed since his visit to the Temple of Heaven. What remains unchanged is that our two countries' engagement is still very important."
Deutsche Welle noted that the visit coincided with the 50th anniversary of the first visit to China by an Australian Prime Minister, and Albanese's following in Whitlam's footsteps to be photographed at the Temple of Heaven was of great symbolic significance.
CNN quoted Jingdong Yuan, Associate Professor of Asia-Pacific Security at the University of Sydney, saying the visit was a diplomatic milestone, representing a step forward in China-Australia relations. "While the visit was highly symbolic, it was still very important. In less than a year and a half, bilateral relations have gone from a low point to this, which is a good start."
The New York Times stated that Albanese's trip represented "a small step" in economic and diplomatic stability between China and Australia after a long period of distrust. Reconciliation between the two countries is making progress, but limitations remain.
Some American media also noted that Albanese's visit came less than two weeks after his trip to the United States. During last month's meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden, the two praised the AUKUS (Australia, UK, US trilateral security partnership) and the "Quad" security partnership cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
CNN cited experts saying that one significance of the visit was that Australia could act as a messenger between China and the U.S., as well as provide an example for other medium-sized allies with close ties to the U.S. on how to handle relations with these two major powers.
However, some Australian media denied this positioning. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that Albanese made it clear during his visit that he did not want Australia to be a middleman between the U.S. and China, emphasizing the importance of direct communication between the two, "I think they don't need a middleman."
During his four-day visit to China, Albanese shared over a dozen updates on social media. Whether in post-meeting press conferences or media interviews, he repeatedly described the trip as "very positive." He also stated that he had invited Chinese leaders to visit Australia and that he had received an invitation to visit China again.
In a Tuesday post, Albanese wrote: "While there are differences between us, Australia and China both benefit from cooperation and dialogue. We agree that differences should not define our relationship."
