Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who arrived in China last Saturday for a four-day state visit, met with President Xi Jinping on Monday. Several news outlets have reported that both Xi and Albanese acknowledge the importance of having stable ties and welcome the improvement in bilateral relations. A sign widely interpreted as both parties open to moving forward from past trade and security disagreements.
In response to the developments, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that it will continue to closely monitor the situation. However, it emphasizes even if Australia is stabilizing its relations with China, this does not mean that exchanges and cooperation with Taiwan will become limited. The ministry stated that Taiwan-Australia relations have continued to develop in recent years, with bilateral trade volume tripling since 2020. Taiwan is also Australia’s fifth-largest trading partner and fourth-largest export market.
The ministry adds that Taiwan and Australia share common interests in maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Both oppose unilateral changes to the status quo and safeguard the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region.