Bilateral talks at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore
Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marls and Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe held a bilateral meeting on the 12th (local time), AFP news agency reported.
It was the first time in three years that the defense ministers of the two countries had a meeting, the news agency reported.
Minister Marls, who is visiting Singapore to attend the Asian Security Conference (Shangri-La Dialogue), told reporters that he had a meeting with China’s defense minister for over an hour.
“We had very candid and complete dialogues on many issues related to Australia,” he said.
“The relationship between Australia and China is complex,” Marls said, referring to the summit as an important first step.
Because of this complexity, it is important that we have a conversation now.”
Relations between Australia and China have deteriorated in recent years.
It started in 2018 when Australia excluded Chinese telecommunication equipment maker Huawei from participating in the 5G network business in response to the request of the then-US administration, Donald Trump.
In April 2020, then-Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison publicly called for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus, targeting China.
China, Australia’s largest trading partner, has taken retaliatory measures by imposing high tariffs on a dozen products, including Australian wine, beef, barley and coal.
However, when Prime Minister Morrison, who had unilaterally sided with the United States, resigned and Prime Minister Anthony Albanage took office, relations between the two countries took a turning point.
Foreign media also gave significance to the meeting, saying Australia and China showed signs of reconciliation following years of tension.
According to Bloomberg News, “the defense ministers of Australia and China have removed the gloomy atmosphere through frank dialogue.”
“We value a productive relationship with China,” Marls said.
/yunhap news
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