The Wire

For the first time in years, the Chinese Foreign Minister is visiting Australia.  This is for the Australia-China Foreign and Strategic Dialogue, and is a grand opportunity for Australia to smooth over the mini trade war that China waged over various commodity imports in retaliation for Australia calling out China during the pandemic.

There is also the issue of condemned Australian writer Yang Hengjun, Hong Kong, the Uighers and a few other prickly items where we would like China to change its position.

The unprecedented move for Wang Yi to meet with former PM Paul Keating who is pro- China and anti- AUKUS could be seen as a tactic to put pressure on Foreign Minister Penny Wong whose rancorous relationship with the former PM is well known.