On Monday night Australian prime-minister Anthony Albanese was the first Australian leader to visit China since 2016, meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. On the red carpet of the Great Hall of People Anthony Albanese was told he was a “handsome boy” by the Chinese premier as images of him jogging in a Matilda’s jersey circulated on Chinese social media.

Stephen Hill asked ANU’s Dr. Benjamin Hersovitch about the significance of the meeting and how effective the new government had been in repairing relations with its largest trading partner.

Hersovitch discussed the China’s charm offensive and the existing tensions that remain in the Australia-China relationship and how the meeting should result in Australian lobster and wine products having their export bans overturned.

Produced By: Stephen Hill

Featured In Story: Dr Benjamin Hersovitch, School of Regulation and Global Governance, Australian National University, and

First aired on The Wire, Wednesday 8 November 2023