Key Points
- hina's ambassador in Canberra, Xiao Chan, has expressed frustration over how long it is taking to repair China-Australia relations.
- He is appealing for the Australian government to use quiet diplomacy.
In his latest remarks, China's ambassador in Canberra, Xiao Chan, has expressed frustration over how long it is taking to repair China-Australia relations, appealing for the Australian government to use quiet diplomacy on sensitive human rights issues such as China's treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang and the Taiwan independence movement.
"We need to take some actions" beyond talking, he told Nine newspapers, saying that now was the time to take the relationship to the next level.
"In a relationship, you need two hands to clap."
Mr Xiao said one way to accelerate progress on the relationship would be for Australia to avoid talking publicly about China's policies relating to Xinjiang and Taiwan - and instead raise the concerns privately.
How have relations improved under the new Australian government?
High-level communication was cut off during a two-year diplomatic freeze involving China's trade sanctions on Australian exports, including wine, beef and barley.
With the Albanese government in office for five months now, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles have held meetings with their Chinese counterparts.
Last month, Ms Wong again appealed to China to end its trade measures blocking $20 billion worth of Australian exports - but they remain in place.
Mr Xiao said he would like ministerial talks to continue but added that public statements by Australian officials on China's policies in Taiwan and Xinjiang were "disrupting our efforts to reset the relationship".
"I wish that the people in this country and the Labor government will be looking at the issues in a more objective or balanced way and address those issues in a constructive way," he said.
"And we can talk about our views over these issues – but for public statements, it’s hurting the Chinese people."
Why would China want quiet diplomacy?
Associate Professor Allan Patience at the University of Melbourne said the economic pressures from the Ukraine war affecting energy, interest rates and cost of living have necessitated a change in approach.
"Australia is experiencing a severe budget crisis. Budgetary debt is huge. And China thinks this is an opportunity to leverage the economy and the trade relationship in China's favour.
"There is also the issue that China's economy too is facing some real headwinds at the moment. And China is beginning to realise that getting rid of some of its most important trading partners is no longer in its economic interests."
Australian National University Associate Professor Ben Hillman, from the Australian Centre on China in the World, said China is proactive about shaping the public conversation.
"The Chinese Communist Party bristles at international criticism, and it is trying very hard through concerted efforts globally to shift the conversation about China to more positive stories of China's achievements, including its quite extraordinary success in eliminating poverty.
"These are the stories that the party wants to promote to displace the negative stories that the party sees are dominating international discussions about China."
Professor in international relations at Deakin University, Baogang He, said Mr Xiao's remarks show a "more conciliatory approach" than in years past - where more aggressive and strident public statements - so-called "wolf warrior diplomacy" tactics - may have been employed.
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"China is modifying its behaviour, the tone is more moderate. It's a good sign. And I wonder whether Canberra will take this opportunity and revive Labor's long tradition of regionalism," he said.
He said Australia could play a bigger role in inviting the US and China to participate in initiatives promoting regionalism, such as dialogue on a common South China Sea strategy - as proposed by ex-prime minister Bob Hawke in 2015.
"I think Australia needs some big ideas on regionalism. One of the ways forward is for Australia to revive Australia's regionalism initiatives to manage the conflict."
Is China embarrassed by commentary on Xinjiang and Taiwan?
Associate Professor Patience said anger is the more accurate term to use, rather than embarrassment.
"I think embarrassment is not quite the right word. It's anger. It's annoyance. It's an argument that they feel their own sovereignty is being infringed upon when people comment on it. That's not to say we [Australia] shouldn't [speak up], I think we should, but that's the way China feels."
Professor He said Australia needs to tread carefully on the issues of Xinjiang, particularly when it comes to any statements of genocide.
"If you're talking about genocide, we need to follow the UN definition closely and see if it matches up. It's difficult because parties from Western countries are not allowed to do solid empirical work, so you rely on secondary sources."
The latest UN report on China's treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang .
The report did trigger a push by countries, including Australia and the US, to bring on the debate about potential "crimes against humanity" in Xinjiang at the UN Human Rights Council. China succeeded in gaining the support of 18 developing nations to .
What does Australia have to weigh up when speaking out on Xinjiang and Taiwan?
Mr Xiao said he sees "important opportunities" to restore relations in the upcoming regional summits in November, like the G2O in Bali and APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Bangkok.
He said he was open to facilitating ministerial meetings in Beijing, but says no preconditions should be imposed.
"Even if we have differences or disputes, we should meet to discuss and try to find a solution to those problems," he told the Sydney Morning Herald.
On the issue of detained Australian journalist Cheng Lei - now in detention for two years and awaiting a verdict on closed trial in March - he said would help to facilitate access and communication between Ms Lei, her family and Australian embassy officials.
Dr Lai-Ha Chan at the University of Technology Sydney said Ms Lei remains a point of tension and that the easiest way to rebuild bilateral relations is to look at economic and trade arrangements first.
As for Taiwan, she says Nancy Pelosi's August visit to Taiwan and the uproar over it - also revealed alternative interpretations of the One China policy.
"I think Australia's adoption of the One China policy will continue. However, I think there's also other interpretations about the .
"In 1971, when China became a member of the UN, the agreement basically recognised the PRC [People's Republic of China] is mainland China. But they didn't indicate that Taiwan is part of China. And so with that kind of interpretation, you can recognise the One China policy - there is only one China in the world - but on the other hand, whether or not you agree Taiwan is part of China, that is another story to tell."
Ambassador Xiao acknowledged Australia had maintained its decision in December 1972 to adopt a "One China" policy of "one country, two systems".
He said that should continue with no official relationship of diplomatic recognition of Taiwan by Australia, although economic ties could continue.
Former Australian prime minister Paul Keating, delivering an address on Wednesday night, said Australia was better off staying out of the discussion on Taiwan, adding that there was "great confusion" about China’s ambitions with Taiwan.
"We should be no more interested in the political system of Taiwan than Vietnam and Kazakhstan," he told the audience at an event ogranised by the La Trobe University’s Ideas and Society Program.
