Australia’s leader Anthony Albanese will visit China and meet with President Xi Jinping this weekend as he seeks to strengthen ties with Canberra’s largest trading partner.Regional security and trade will take centre stage during the prime minister’s six-day trip spanning three cities – Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu. “My government will continue to cooperate with China where we can, disagree where we must, and engage in our national interest,” Albanese said in a statement.The trip marks Albanese’s second official visit to China – but the first since his re-election in May. It comes as countries around the world navigate US president Donald Trump’s “America First” policies including tariffs.China accounts for nearly a third of Australia’s total trade and “will remain so for the foreseeable future”, Albanese said.”The relationship in China means jobs in Australia. It’s as simple as that,” he told reporters on Friday.Albanese, whose Labor Party government was re-elected with an increased majority in May, had pledged among other things to create more jobs and bring back manufacturing in Australia.Analysts say this trip signals a stabilisation of ties between Australia and China, even as Beijing has been trying to extend its military reach across the Pacific to some protest by Australia. Last month, Australia’s defence minister Richard Marles called on China to explain why it needs to have “such an extraordinary military build-up”.A rare Chinese military drill in the Tasman sea in February was also called “unusual” by Marles. “Both sides recognise their differences… [and] agree those differences should not define the relationship,” says James Laurenceson, director of Australia-China Relations Institute.The two countries are not seeking geopolitical alignment, he said. “They need to keep the politics stable and constructive so that other parts of the relationship, like businesses, cultural organisations, universities and so on can forge ahead with engagement in their own areas.”Mr Laurenceson notes, however, that Washington “will not be pleased” with Albanese’s visit. But the prime mini …
