Australian PM Anthony Albanese says his country 'doesn't respond to demands'. Photo / AP
Australian PM Anthony Albanese says his country 'doesn't respond to demands'. Photo / AP
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says his country "doesn't respond to demands" after China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi issued a four-point list of actions to repair relations between the two countries.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong met with Yi on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Bali last week,where she said they had a "full and frank" discussion after a more than two-year-long diplomatic freeze.
Yi blamed the former Scott Morrison government for the soured relations and pointed at a "series of irresponsible words and deeds" on Canberra's behalf. Wong said the meeting had been an "important first step" to "stabilise" the relationship.
In a readout from the meeting, Yi listed four demands of Australia, including "regarding China as a partner rather than a rival", "seeking common ground while reserving differences", "not targeting any third party or being controlled by any third party", and "building positive and pragmatic social foundations".
Australian foreign minister Penny Wong met last week with China's foreign minister Wang Yi, ending a two-year ministerial freeze. Photo / news.com.au
But speaking with reporters today, Albanese said "Australia does not respond to demands" and would continue to act according to the country's own national interest.
"We will co-operate with China where we can," Albanese said. "I want to build good relations with all countries, but we will stand up for Australia's interests when we must."
Wong's meeting with Yi had been a "constructive step forward", Albanese said, but Australia had not changed its position on any contentious issues.
Earlier, Australia's Pacific Minister Pat Conroy said the Government welcomed increasing dialogue with China, but the Government would continue to make the point that "Australia hasn't changed".
"Dialogue is really important, and we've got a number of issues that we're working to resolve there," Conroy told the ABC. "Our national interests haven't changed… but we are committed to that dialogue."
Conroy said there was a desire from the Albanese Government to improve relations with China but stressed Canberra would not bend to pressure.
"The attitude of the new Australian Government is essentially the same as the last Australian Government on the issue of China and their increasing assertiveness in the region," he said.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong at the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Bali, Indonesia. Photo / AP
Albanese, Conroy and Senator Wong will all head to Fiji this week for the Pacific Island Forum, where China and climate change will be top of the agenda.
Conroy said the central architecture of the Pacific needed strengthening.
"There is a strong desire for everything to go through a regional approach, to approach the Pacific Island Forum rather than go to individual countries trying to seek agreement on these issues," Conroy said.
"I think that's really important, that we respect and renew the central architecture of the Pacific (PIF). It's natural that China is interested – the United States, France, United Kingdom, India are all increasing their interests in the Pacific. But the key message I'm hearing is the one I'm supporting, is that security has to come from within the Pacific first before engaging outside."
Amid reports the Solomon Islands has blocked Australian aid workers from entering the country, while granting entry to Chinese advisers, Conroy said the issue was simply a visa hold up.
"My advice is that this has occurred in the past and that no visas have been blocked. There's just a delay," Conroy said.
