When Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrives in China next week for his second official visit, he will have more than the typical diplomatic niceties to discuss with President Xi Jinping.
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A major task on Albanese’s agenda, besides routine topics like trade, will be to explain his country’s stance on Chinese investment – in particular, addressing the controversy over the ownership and potential government-influenced sale of the Darwin the Post has learned from sources with knowledge of the matter.
This will make for a difficult conversation, analysts said, as Beijing has been on high alert to future divestments following US action over Chinese-owned ports at the Panama Canal.
Albanese will arrive in Beijing around July 15, one source said, as a “friendly gesture” to keep relations on a positive track.
Another source said the prime minister will attend the China International Supply Chain Expo, an event held in the country’s capital annually since 2023. This year’s edition will run from July 16 to July 20.
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Australia’s Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet said Albanese’s international engagements will be announced in “the usual way” in reply to a request for comment.