“We could work together for the economic development in these countries,” he said.
03:01
China-Australia relations ‘on the right path’, Xi Jinping tells Anthony Albanese on Beijing visit
China-Australia relations ‘on the right path’, Xi Jinping tells Anthony Albanese on Beijing visit
The trips are part of efforts to put relations back on a normalised track following the decline induced by the previous Australian administration’s demands in 2020 to investigate the origin of Covid-19.
The two countries have described their relations as a “comprehensive strategic partnership”, a definition that Liu said China wanted to “stick to”.
But Beijing was not “that ambitious” to define the relationship as stabilised, he said.
“You know, after suffering so many years of setback in our bilateral relationship, we need to restore the relationship to its desired state [in] a gradual manner,” Liu said, adding that “enhancing mutual trust” would keep the two countries on course.
02:59
China and US both needed on board for climate change action, says Tuvalu minister
China and US both needed on board for climate change action, says Tuvalu minister
Marles said HMAS Toowoomba was on a diving operation in Japan’s exclusive economic zone on November 14 to clear fishing nets from its propellers when a Chinese destroyer approached “at a closer range”.
“Soon after, it was detected operating its hull-mounted sonar in a manner that posed a risk to the safety of the Australian divers who were forced to exit the water,” he said.
Liu dismissed suggestions that the Chinese ship was unprofessional and said the Australian vessel appeared to be a statement about China’s policies in the South China Sea.
“My question would be why the Australian naval ship should be allowed into that area,” he said.
“The reason why the Australian naval ships were there was really to contain China – so that is the message that we have been getting.
“China did it in a very professional way. We did nothing that harms … the sailors, the naval people on that ship. So I think that this is the kind of thing that needs to be discussed at a certain level.”
Calling it “small incident”, Liu said such encounters could really escalate if not properly managed.
