The more friends, the more benefits.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang's visit contributed to "restarting" relations with Australia and further strengthening ties with New Zealand and Malaysia.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang and his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur on June 19. (Source: Xinhua News Agency)

Chinese Premier Li Qiang paid official visits to New Zealand, Australia, and Malaysia from June 13-20. What was special about this trip?

Visiting a "good friend"

His first stop was Wellington. This was the highest-level visit by a Chinese official to New Zealand in seven years. Before his talks with his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister Li Qiang spoke highly of bilateral relations, saying that "good friends always feel close, even when far apart" and that the two countries have "a relationship of firsts."

Regarding the content of the discussions, he stated that the two sides "had in-depth discussions on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest, deepening exchanges and cooperation in many areas," as well as moving towards upgrading the relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

In Wellington, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a bilateral agreement on trade and combating climate change. According to the Chinese Prime Minister, China's demand for New Zealand dairy, beef, and lamb products is increasing. Beijing is currently Wellington's leading trading partner, with trade volume reaching US$23.27 billion. The unilateral visa waiver for New Zealand citizens, deeper cooperation in trade and agriculture , as well as cross-border services and e-commerce exchanges, further strengthens China's position in this area.

However, the Chinese leader acknowledged, “it’s normal that we don’t always agree.” One example is New Zealand’s consideration of joining Pillar II of the Australia-UK-US Security Partnership (AUKUS), an agreement Beijing views as a countermeasure against it. Last month, Chinese Ambassador Wang Xiaolong warned that this scenario could be seen as New Zealand “choosing sides.” Additionally, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said he had raised with his Chinese counterpart “a number of core value issues with New Zealand,” including human rights and foreign interference.

However, Prime Minister Li Qiang emphasized: "These differences should not become barriers to exchange and cooperation between the two countries."

Healing is the focus.

However, the focus of international media attention was on Prime Minister Li Qiang's visit to Australia. He was the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit Australia in seven years. But unlike in New Zealand, Prime Minister Li Qiang focused on mending and strengthening relations in Australia. This is because bilateral tensions had only recently begun to ease following Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to Beijing. Therefore, both countries need to take more action to accelerate this process.

China demonstrated goodwill by lifting tariffs on many Australian imports such as wine, coal, and barley ahead of the visit. In response, the Australian Parliament House welcomed Prime Minister Li Qiang with an honor guard, a 19-gun salute, and a grand banquet with over 300 guests.

The talks between the two leaders yielded substantive results. China will consider unilaterally waiving visa requirements for Australian citizens; a joint statement was issued emphasizing the relationship as "mature, stable, and positive"; and five cooperation documents were signed. Both sides will also expand cooperation in energy and mining, maintain communication and coordination to ensure peace and prosperity in the region.

However, this path faces numerous challenges. One of them continues to be Australia's active participation in AUKUS. Prime Minister Albanese said he raised human rights issues in China, the situation in the Pacific, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict during the talks. However, he affirmed that the two sides "have differences. That is why frank dialogue is important."

Strengthening strategic confidence

Finally, expanding cooperation was the main theme in Malaysia, the third stop for the Chinese Prime Minister from June 18-20. The visit took place as the two countries celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the China-Malaysia Friendship Year. Upon arriving in Kuala Lumpur, Prime Minister Li Qiang emphasized “firm strategic trust,” affirming Beijing’s readiness to cooperate, “coordinate development strategies, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and enhance exchanges and mutual learning between the two cultures.”

Meanwhile, in an interview with China's Guancha TV, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim emphasized the importance of relations with China – he visited the Asian superpower twice in 2023 alone. Notably, Mr. Ibrahim stated that Kuala Lumpur would soon begin the process of joining the BRICS group of emerging economies once it receives a response from Moscow, this year's BRICS chair. He urged China, a founding member of the group, to support this process. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also supported Beijing's early accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

In Kuala Lumpur, the two Prime Ministers attended the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), along with a plan for economic cooperation. The two leaders witnessed the exchange of several cooperation documents on agriculture, digital technology, green development, tourism, housing, urban development, higher education, science and technology. Beijing has been Kuala Lumpur's leading trading partner for the past 15 years, with bilateral trade increasing by 11.4% in the first five months of the year. The Chinese Prime Minister also attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the $10 billion East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) in Selangor state, a BRI project that has been controversial in Malaysia.

Prime Minister Li Qiang's three-country tour demonstrates Beijing's clear objective of mending relations with Australia, strengthening cooperation with New Zealand and Malaysia, and expanding and diversifying partnerships amidst complex and unpredictable relations between Beijing and Washington, Europe, and even some regional countries.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/thu-tuong-trung-quoc-tham-new-zealand-australia-va-malaysia-them-ban-tang-loi-ich-275826.html