China Seeks Stable Ties with Australia Despite Sea Tensions

Chinese Premier Li Qiang told Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday that Beijing wants a “more stable and strategic” relationship, despite recent run-ins over the South China Sea and growing competition in the Pacific.

The two leaders met on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit here. Li said ties have been improving after years of friction and that China is open to working together on green energy, high-tech, and digital projects. He also pushed for open trade and better communication to avoid misunderstandings.

"China-Australia relations at present are showing a positive trend," Li told Albanese, according to a statement from Beijing. "China is ready to build a more stable and strategic partnership with Australia."

• China Seeks Stable Relations with Australia Despite South China Sea Tensions
• Premier Li Qiang, PM Albanese Pledge to Strengthen China–Australia Ties at ASEAN Summit
• China, Australia Push for Cooperation on Trade and Green Tech Amid Regional Disputes

The friendly words come just weeks after a Chinese fighter jet dropped flares dangerously close to an Australian patrol plane in the South China Sea. Australia called it “unsafe”; China said the Australian plane had entered its airspace without permission. A similar incident happened in February.

The flare-ups highlight deeper issues. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, clashing with neighbors like the Philippines—an Australian ally. Meanwhile, Beijing has been making friends across the Pacific with trade deals and security pacts, including with the Solomon Islands.

Australia has pushed back. This month, it signed a defense deal with Papua New Guinea, allowing access to military bases to counter China’s growing influence in the region.

Still, the two countries need each other economically. Australia supplies China with iron ore, coal, and gas, and trade has bounced back strongly. Albanese’s visit to Beijing in July helped reset the relationship, with both sides agreeing to talk through problems instead of escalating them.

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Experts say the Kuala Lumpur meeting shows both sides want to keep things calm, but real trust will depend on what happens next in the South China Sea.