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Bridget Judd

G20 summit updates: Climate change, Taiwan and Russia discussed in formal meeting with China's President Xi says Anthony Albanese

Anthony Albanese held formal talks with China's President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit this evening.

It was the first formal bilateral meeting between an Australian leader and the Chinese president since Malcolm Turnbull was prime minister in 2016. 

Catch up on Tuesday's updates.

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Live updates

By Bridget Judd

Stay up to date with the latest news and analysis

This is where we'll have to leave the live blog for this evening, but thanks for following along (and a big thanks to the ABC's Stephen Dziedzic for jumping in to help unpack the meeting).

You can catch up on Tuesday's developments below, or download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest news.

You can also stay across the latest from the G20 summit in Bali in our main wrap.

By Bridget Judd

Tonight's meeting marks a potential thawing of relations between Australia and China

But when did they go frosty and what was behind the decline?

As the ABC's Toby Mann and national rural reporter Kath Sullivan write, much of the fallout can be tracked back to when Australia banned Chinese telecommunication giant Huawei from its 5G wireless network in 2018.

The government cited national security concerns and said any company that was "likely subject to extrajudicial directions from a foreign government that conflict with Australian law" was not able to do business in the country.

Huawei denied it posed a national security risk and said it has "securely delivered wireless technology in Australia for close to 15 years".

Things were looking grim then, but they only worsened in the following years.

By Bridget Judd

China should 'never have imposed' trade measures against Australia, former ambassador says

Speaking earlier today, Geoff Raby, a former Australian ambassador to China, says trade is among the major issues that the two nations need to address.

"It would be terrific if China would made some concessions against the unreasonable trade measures that they have taken against Australia," he says.

"China should never have imposed those measures. It's up to China to remove them and it's possible that we might see some progress there but it's important not to raise expectations unneccesarily at this stage."

By Bridget Judd

Key Event

Can the issues between Australia and China be forgotten so easily?

We put this one to ABC's Stephen Dziedzic.

Stephen: That’s a good question. I think the answer is no. There’s a whole lot of scar tissue that has been built up in an awfully short period of time. And more importantly, the crisis isn’t really a function of tone-deaf diplomacy, although Labor argues that the Coalition’s handling of the relationship just made it even more poisonous.

 The main reason that the relationship has foundered is because China and Australia have clashing interests, and because Australia has been pursuing policies (the Huawei ban, passing foreign interference laws, pressing for a COVID inquiry) which Beijing views as openly hostile.

For its part, Australia sees all these policies as utterly defensible and firmly in the national interest and views China’s furious response – including the trade sanctions imposed on Australian goods – as coercive and destructive.

That doesn’t mean that both countries are incapable of putting the last five years aside if they judge it’s in their national interests to do so. But there aren’t any signs of that happening right now. We’ll have to wait and see how it all plays out.

By Bridget Judd

Anthony Albanese isn't the only one who met with Xi Jinping

As the ABC's Anne Barker reports, US President Joe Biden recently held talks with the Chinese president.

The meeting on the eve of the G20 lasted for three hours.

Anne: Those relations too, just like Australia's, have been in the freezer with China increasingly in the last couple of years.

Just this last few months, of course, things worsened when the House Speaker in the US, Nancy Pelosi, visited Taiwan, setting off a show of military force by China.

US President Joe Biden meets Chinese leader Xi Jinping at G20 Summit

By Bridget Judd

'This is the beginning' of resolving trade issues

Speaking from the G20 summit in Bali a short time ago, the ABC's Global Affair editor John Lyons says it's "the beginning of a possible new era" between the two nations.

A bald man with glasses gives a TV cross.

"It was dysfunctional that Australia and China - given China is Australia's largest customer, largest buyer of goods - that we weren't talking, that ministers in Australia could not get through to their counterparts in China," he says.

"This is certainly now the beginning of a possible new era. Mr Albanese really wants the $20 billion worth of punitive sanctions that China has put on Australian goods to be lifted.

"This is the beginning and I think that will be the next part of this process. Mr. Albanese will try to get that to happen, which will be a huge boost to Australian producers and the Australian economy."

By Bridget Judd

Key Event

It's difficult to judge the significance of this meeting right now, but the diplomatic freeze is 'well and truly over'

The ABC's Stephen Dziedzic has dropped back in to unpack that update with Anthony Albanese.

Stephen: Not many surprises in that press conference either! Anthony Albanese brushes off questions about whether he secured any commitments on trade sanctions from Xi Jinping, basically saying that was never going to happen.

The Prime Minister says it was “not anticipated” that in a “meeting such as that, that you get immediate declarations.” If “people thought that would happen, then that was not realistic.”

But he still says the meeting was “constructive” and says he thinks both countries will continue to hold high level meetings. He says Xi and he both spoke about the “complementary” nature of their two economies – perhaps a veiled hint from both sides that they’re open to compromise on trade issues? It’s hard to say for sure.

As expected, it’s difficult to judge the significance of this meeting right now. The diplomatic freeze is now well and truly over, which is significant. But beyond that? It’s unclear.

Could it be the first major step towards the two countries normalising the relationship? Or it could just prove to be a temporary blip, with both sides posing for the cameras and trading talking points, before pressing on with business as usual?

We won’t have any clarity on this question for quite some time.

By Bridget Judd

WATCH: Anthony Albanese hails 'constructive' meeting with Xi Jinping

Albanese hails 'constructive' meeting with Xi Jinping

By Bridget Judd

Anthony Albanese: 'We need to not try to score domestic political points' in international relations

Responding to a question about Xi Jinping's opening remarks, Mr Albanese says it's important "to act in a mature way in all of our international relations".

"We need to not try to score domestic political points to our international relations.

"I deal with things in Australia's national interest. That's what I've done as Prime Minister and that's what I'll continue to do," he says.

"I thought it was a very constructive discussion, and it was a positive development."

By Bridget Judd

Key Event

Should we read anything into the length of the meeting between Anthony Albanese and Xi Jinping?

It went for a little over half an hour, and the PM was asked about the length a short time ago.

Reporter: Should we read anything into the length of the meeting today? Did he end it?

Anthony Albanese: No, it went over time when it was scheduled, and it was it was very constructive. The media were present for our opening remarks. The President then spoke, I spoke and we had a dialogue and responded to each other's comments. It was it was a warm discussion. The President spoke about his visits to Australia very warmly.

By Bridget Judd

Key Event

Anthony Albanese: China has an 'important role to play' with tackling climate change

Mr Albanese says he discussed climate change and Taiwan with Xi Jinping, among other issues, "and the need for us to work together".

"I referred to the floods that are occurring in New South Wales, that climate change is a global issue and it requires a global response. China has an important role to play.

"On Taiwan, I certainly raised that issue. I put [forward] Australia's position, which is support for the status quo."

By Bridget Judd

Key Event

Anthony Albanese: Meeting was 'constructive', but no 'immediate declarations' were expected

Mr Albanese is taking questions now.

He says he put forward Australia's position "when it comes to the blockages in our trading relationship".

"I also put forward our position on Ukraine and asked that China exercise its influence on Russia specifically about Russia's threats to use tactical nuclear weapons," he says.

The PM says there weren't any "immediate declarations" expected from the meeting.

"And I believe if people thought that would happen, then that was not realistic," he adds

"But it was very constructive."

By Bridget Judd

Anthony Albanese: Australia and China took an important step to 'moving forward'

Mr Albanese says he believes both countries took an important step to "moving forward".

"There are many steps, of course, that we are yet to take," he says.

"I have said consistently since before I became Prime Minister, we will cooperate where we can, [and] disagree where we must act in the national interest."

By Bridget Judd

Australia and China better off 'when we have dialogue' and can 'talk constructively'

Mr Albanese says the two countries have "big differences to manage".

"But we're always going to be better off when we have dialogue and are able to talk constructively and respectfully, but also honestly, about what those differences are," he says.

"And we're able to do that."

By Bridget Judd

Key Event

Anthony Albanese: Discussion with Xi Jinping was 'very positive and constructive'

Anthony Albanese is speaking from the G20 summit in Bali after his meeting with Xi Jinping.

"This afternoon I've just concluded a successful bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

"It was a very positive and constructive discussion, and I was pleased that it was held."

By Bridget Judd

The PM will provide an update after his meeting with Xi Jinping

We're expecting Anthony Albanese to speak in a few short minutes.

A group of reporters in a room in Bali.

By Bridget Judd

Key Event

Xi Jinping: Australia and China should 'improve, maintain and develop the relationship'

China's President Xi Jinping also spoke from the sidelines of the G20 summit a short time ago.

The ABC's Bang Xiao has translated his opening remarks:

Xi Jinping: I am very pleased to meet with the Prime Minister, Mr Albanese. This is our first meeting. So I would also like to congratulate you again on your appointment as Prime Minister of Australia.

China-Australia relations have long been at the forefront of China's relations with developed countries, and they deserve to be cherished by us. In the past few years, China-Australia relations have encountered some difficulties, which we do not want to see.

Because China and Australia are both important countries in the Asia-Pacific region, we should improve, maintain, and develop the relationship between the two countries. It is in line with the fundamental interests of the two countries, and is also conducive to promoting the development of peace in the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

Since Mr Prime Minister took office, you have made a number of remarks on China-Australia relations on a number of occasions, and have repeatedly said that you will deal with China-Australia relations in a mature manner.

By Bridget Judd

Key Event

Should we expect an outcome from the meeting between Anthony Albanese and Xi Jinping?

We're expecting the PM to speak again after his meeting with Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20.

The ABC's Stephen Dziedzic says nobody is expecting any immediate breakthroughs.

Stephen: There’s zero chance that Anthony Albanese will come out in the next half hour and declare that Xi Jinping has agreed to unwind all trade sanctions on Australia, for example. As we’ve already said this evening, we expect both sides to stick pretty closely to the script.

So in that sense it’s largely “symbolic”, yes. Of course, that symbolism has real currency– Xi Jinping sits at the absolute pinnacle of political power in the Chinese political system. Anthony Albanese might hope that perhaps Chinese Ministers and officials down the chain will now feel empowered to negotiate with their Australian counterparts and find solutions to the multiple disputes festering between the two countries.

Trade Minister Don Farrell hinted at that earlier this week when he said Australia was trying to find “off-ramps” for China which would allow it to unwind some of the trade sanctions it’s imposed on Australian goods. But whether this is a realistic hope or not isn’t yet clear.

By Bridget Judd

Catch up on the update with Anthony Albanese

By Bridget Judd

John Lyons: 'Hopefully this is the beginning of a new chapter'

If you missed it over the weekend, Chinese state media said China was "ready to meet Australia halfway" on repairing the strained relationship.

Speaking from the G20 summit in Bali a short time ago, the ABC's Global Affair editor John Lyons says they're "cryptic words", but the "spirit of them suggests that China doesn't want a dysfunctional relationship with Australia".

A bald man with glasses speaks.

"It's clearly been dysfunctional. The fact that even junior ministers under the previous Coalition government couldn't even get through to their counterparts in Beijing.

"Dysfunctional relationship with our largest customer, that's about come to an end when Anthony Albanese meets the newly emboldened leader of China, Xi Jinping, who's just got his third term as president in China.

"Hopefully this is the beginning of a new chapter, which is not dysfunctional in Australia's relationship with an important trading partner."

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