An Australian overseas ministry official mentioned Wong had warned the reforms would “additional erode rights and freedoms”, breach worldwide commitments and have “far-reaching impacts, together with on people in Australia”.
The remarks are unlikely to have gone down effectively with Wong’s Chinese language visitor.
Beijing has described related criticism from Britain, the US and the European Union as “slandering and smearing”.
Because the overseas ministers met, protesters gathered on the lawns of Australia’s parliament, drawing consideration to alleged human rights abuses inside China.
A small group of demonstrators later clashed with police exterior the Chinese language embassy, brandishing Tibetan flags and shouting “free Tibet” as they rushed in the direction of the constructing’s entrance gates.
TRADE RESTRICTIONS
Australia’s relationship with China started unravelling in 2018, when Canberra excluded telecommunications big Huawei from its 5G community on safety grounds and later handed legal guidelines on overseas interference.
Then in 2020, Australia known as for a world investigation into the origins of COVID-19 – an motion China noticed as politically motivated.
In response, Beijing slapped commerce restrictions on a slew of Australian exports, together with barley, beef and wine, whereas halting its coal imports.
Most of these obstacles have been steadily wound again as relations have been repaired.
Wang mentioned a ultimate resolution on ending wine tariffs can be made on the finish of the month, signalling restrictions may quickly be lifted.
Earlier than the commerce restrictions have been imposed, China was the biggest vacation spot for Australian bottled wine – accounting for 33 per cent of export income in 2020, based on Australian authorities information.
Wong mentioned the talks had additionally touched on the worldwide nickel market, which has been upended by a surge in exports from Indonesia – enabled by large Chinese language investments and a revolution in refining strategies.
Costs have fallen about 40 per cent prior to now 12 months alone, prompting many once-dominant Australian corporations to rethink tasks or write down the worth of their belongings.
Wang later instructed an Australia-China enterprise council that widespread pursuits between the 2 nations far outweigh their variations.
“China is Australia’s largest buying and selling companion and the largest buyer for our merchandise like iron ore”, mentioned Rio Tinto mining government and assembly participant Simon Trott, welcoming a “stabilisation” of relations.
