Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Tuesday (July 8, 2025) that he would travel to China later this week, as Beijing seeks to deepen cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, green energy, and the digital economy. Speaking to reporters in Hobart, Mr. Albanese said, “I’m looking forward to visiting Shanghai, Beijing, and Chengdu starting Saturday,” though he did not provide further details about the itinerary.

 

China’s foreign ministry later confirmed the visit would take place from July 12 to 18. Spokesperson Mao Ning stated at a regular press briefing that Beijing was prepared to use the trip as an opportunity to boost dialogue, build trust, and expand practical collaboration with Australia.

 

This will mark Mr. Albanese’s second trip to China as prime minister since his re-election in May. His first visit in 2023 ended a seven-year diplomatic freeze and focused on the importance of maintaining dialogue despite ongoing differences between the two key trading partners.

 

The visit also follows China’s proposal to revisit the decade-old free trade agreement with Australia in hopes of enhancing cooperation in sectors like agriculture and mining, and tapping into new growth areas such as emerging technologies.

 

“We are open to reviewing the agreement with greater transparency and higher standards,” Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian wrote in *The Australian Financial Review* on Monday.

 

When asked whether Australia would consider expanding the trade agreement to cover AI, Mr. Albanese responded, “We will set our own policy.”