ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks very much. I'll begin by thanking you very much for the Acknowledgement of Country. And I also acknowledge something that I didn't have to do way back in 1996, which is acknowledge the First Nations people who now are not unusual [INDISTINCT] in our House of Representatives and the Senate and their families as well. A sign of the progress. I was elected in 1996. In 1996, there were – basically, a lot of blokes from similar backgrounds made up most of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has concluded his second official visit to China.

The visit was an opportunity to continue advancing Australia’s security and economic interests. Wise management of this relationship is crucial for Australia’s future prosperity and for the security of our nation and the stability of our region. 

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks very much for joining us.

It is indeed a pleasure to be here with all of you in Chengdu to celebrate a partnership which is defined by innovation and co-operation.

And can I particularly acknowledge Professor Barry Marshall, who has made such an extraordinary contribution to Australia, to China and to the people of both of our nations.

And anyone who can just bring out casually a Nobel prize is not something that has happened to me before, standing next to someone.

VICKI REID, TENNIS AUSTRALIA: Good afternoon everyone. What an absolute pleasure it is to welcome you here today. My name is Vicki Reid and I will be your MC this afternoon. To begin, I would like to acknowledge the special guests who have joined us this afternoon. Their presence here today signifies the importance of this announcement. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to the Honourable Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister of Australia, and Ms Jodie Haydon. His Excellency, Mr Wang Xiaohui, Party Secretary of Sichuan.

WANG XIAOHUI, SECRETARY OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF CHINA SICHUAN PROVINCIAL COMMITTEE: The Honourable Anthony Albanese MP, Prime Minister of Australia. And here, I would like to, together with the Governor, Shi Xiaolin, welcome you to pay a visit to Chengdu city. And first of all, on behalf of the Provincial CPC Committee as well as the Provincial People's Government, together with the Governor, Shi Xiaolin, I would like to express our warmest welcome to you and to your delegation.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: It’s a great honour to be here at the Great Wall of China. This is one of the wonders of the world, some 21,000 kilometres long. This particular section was built in 1505 - we are literally standing on history. History in recognition of the longevity of Chinese culture and Chinese achievement as well, and it’s my great honour to be here for the first time as Prime Minister. I came here as part of a parliamentary delegation at the end of the 1990s, a bipartisan delegation.

LI QIANG, PREMIER OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA: Honourable Prime Minister Albanese, it is a great pleasure to meet with you in Beijing. Welcome to China. Please allow me to once again congratulate you on your successful reelection as Prime Minister. In the past three years, thanks to your personal efforts and the joint efforts of both sides, China-Australia relations have moved beyond a low point and returned to the right track of stability and development. Our pragmatic cooperation is brimming with renewed vitality and bringing real benefits to our two peoples.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good afternoon. It is very good to be back in Beijing for my second visit as Prime Minister. And this morning, we had a very constructive meeting with President Xi in which we spoke about the range of issues facing our relationship with China. Here, and always, I’m guided by Australia’s national interest. My Government’s approach to our relationship with China is patient, is calibrated and is deliberate. And it is aimed at cooperating wherever we can, disagreeing where we must, but engaging in our national interest.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met today with the senior Chinese leadership in Beijing, as part of his second official visit to the country since being elected in 2022.

The visit is an opportunity to continue advancing Australia’s economic and security interests, while stabilising the relationship with our largest trading partner China.

Direct engagement between Australia and China at the highest levels is central to a constructive relationship and enables differences to be addressed and opportunities to be maximised for Australia.