Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived in Shanghai on Saturday for a six-day visit to three Chinese cities where regional security tensions and economic ties are likely to dominate talks.
Albanese’s second visit to China, where he will meet President Xi Jinping, comes after Canberra stepped up screening of Chinese investment in critical minerals and as U.S. President Donald Trump rattles the global economy with sweeping import tariffs.
Here is a timeline of relations between Australia and China over recent years:
Nov. 17, 2014 – Australia sealed a landmark free trade agreement with top trade partner China, concluding a decade of negotiations. It comes into effect in late 2015.
Dec. 5, 2017 – Australia, concerned about Chinese influence, announces a ban on foreign political donations to prevent external interference in its politics.
Aug. 23, 2018 – Australia bans Huawei Technologies from supplying equipment for its planned 5G broadband network, citing national security regulations.
April 2020 – Australia seeks support for an international inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. China’s then ambassador to Australia says that in response to the call, the Chinese public would boycott Australian wine, beef and tourism.
June 9, 2020 – China urges students going overseas to think carefully before choosing Australia, citing racist incidents, threatening a $27.5 billion market for educating foreign students.
August 2020 – Australian citizen Cheng Lei, a business anchor for Chinese state television in Beijing, is detained.
Nov 27, 2020 – China announces temporary anti-dumping tariffs on Australian wine. Shipments of Australian live lobsters, timber and barley are also blocked or restricted around this time. China’s embassy lists 14 grievances with Australia, including the blocking of 10 Chinese investments on national security grounds.
May 22, 2022 – Australia’s Labor Party, led by Albanese, wins the general election ending almost a decade of conservative rule.
Nov. 15, 2022 – Albanese meets Xi on the sidelines of the G20 in Indonesia. It is the first leaders’ meeting since 2016.
Jan. 3, 2023 – China allows three government-backed utilities and its top steelmaker to resume coal imports from Australia.
Aug. 5, 2023 – China ends 80.5% tariffs on Australian barley.
Oct. 11, 2023 – China releases Australian journalist Cheng Lei after three years in a Beijing prison on national security charges.
Oct. 22, 2023 – China agrees to review dumping tariffs of 218% on Australian wine. Australia pauses WTO complaint.
Nov. 6-7, 2023 – Visiting Beijing, Albanese tells Xi and Premier Li Qiang that a strong relationship between the two countries was “beneficial into the future”. Xi says stable bilateral ties served each other’s interests and both countries should expand their cooperation.
Jan. 18, 2024 – Australia rejects comments by China’s ambassador seeking to deflect blame from China’s navy for the injury of Australian military divers in an incident near Japan in November.
Feb. 5, 2024 – A Beijing court hands Australian writer Yang Hengjun a suspended death sentence, five years after he was first detained in China and three years after a closed-door trial on espionage charges.
March 29, 2024 – China lifts tariffs on Australian wine, triggering a surge in imports.
Dec. 3, 2024 – China lifts final restrictions on Australian beef.
Dec. 12, 2024 – Australia strikes rugby league funding deal with Papua New Guinea that is contingent on its Pacific Islands neighbour rejecting security or policing ties with China.
Dec. 26, 2024 – China resumes imports of Australian lobster.
Feb. 21, 2025 – Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong raises concerns with Chinese counterpart over inadequate notice given by the Chinese navy of a live-fire exercise in international waters between Australia and New Zealand that forced airlines to divert flights.
May 3, 2025 – Albanese’s Labor government is re-elected for a second term in national elections.
