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West Australian
5 days ago
- West Australian
Exhausted by the inexhaustible people of Qianmen Street
'The taste of childhood!' it says on the Beijing shopfront. And admittedly, as I bite into the candied haw, or Tanghulu, I am reminded of the toffee apples I once enjoyed as a child. However this traditional Chinese street food, made from skewering tart hawthorn berries on a bamboo stick before encasing them in sugar syrup, could not be more different. Neither could the bustling Qianmen Street and Dashilan be more different from Perth's Hay Street Mall. Beijing is home to nearly 22 million people. And right now, on a late Friday afternoon in summer, it feels like every one of them has converged on this popular cultural and commercial part of the city's Xicheng and Dongcheng districts. There is an old poem about Qianmen Street which goes: 'The green and the red are setting off each other on both sides of road; it is a busy street with happy and inexhaustible people.' It's these happy and inexhaustible people who still flock here in their thousands every day to enjoy the markets and other shops selling wares ancient and modern. Dongcheng takes in the eastern half of the old imperial city and many of Beijing's most famous landmarks including the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and a section of the Grand Canal. Xicheng district by contrast is home to many of China's most important government institutions, including the headquarters of the Communist Party of China, the National People's Congress, the State Council, and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. So you could say there's a lot to see. Unfortunately my two travelling companions and I, who had just shut up shop at the Beijing International Book Fair before deciding we'd treat ourselves to a few hours sightseeing, hadn't fully comprehended the nightmare that is Friday peak hour traffic in Beijing. Therefore, a couple of hours later, we jump out at Qianmen Street and plunge into the vast sea of humanity, content to spend the next hour or so just taking in the sights and sounds here and in nearby Dashilan. The former dates from the Ming Dynasty; the latter, from the Yuan Dynasty, boasts Ming and Qing courtyard houses and hutongs, or narrow laneways. The former is famous, amongst many other things, for its Quanjde Roast Duck and its markets; the latter for Tongrentang (a Chinese medicine company) and such speciality stores as milliner Ma Ju Yuan and shoemaker Neiliansheng. Upon arriving, I also note the Zhengyangmen Archery Tower (1419), which lies at the southern end of Tiananmen Square along Beijing's central axis, and the northern end of Qianmen Street. Along with families, couples and others out for the night, we dart from shops specialising in pickles and books to purveyors of alcoholic beverages and cosmetics, stopping just long enough to grab another snack in the form of a Great Wall yogurt (delicious!) before calling for another taxi back to our hotel. Back in my room, I flop on the bed, utterly exhausted — but happy. + Will Yeoman travelled to Beijing as a guest of the Fableration Foundation. They have not influenced this story, or read it before publication.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Plea to Albo over Aussie jailed in China
Anthony Albanese has been urged to stop being 'too soft' on the Chinese government amid negotiations to free Chinese-Australian writer Yang Hengjun from a Beijing prison, with a friend and support saying Chinese authorities have taken the 'good word of the Australian government' as 'a weakness'. Dr Yang, an Australian citizen, has languished in a Beijing prison cell since 2019, when he was arrested at Guangzhou airport and accused of espionage, before being given a suspended death sentence in February 2024. He has always maintained his innocence. Feng Chongyi, who supervised the father-of-two during his PhD at the University of Technology Sydney, said Dr Yang's health had continued to decline following seven years of detention and said he urgently needed to be released to Australia for medical treatment. Dr Feng said Dr Yang had been tortured and put through sleep deprivation, and has been unable to receive treatment for a 10cm kidney cyst. While he acknowledged the Australian government's involvement in Dr Yang's case, with the Prime Minister expected to continue conversations when he heads to China later this week, he said progress has been too slow and 'soft'. Mr Albanese has confirmed meetings with Chinese Communist Party President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and National People's Congress Chairman Zhao Leji. 'What is the criteria for progress? They sentenced Yang Hengjun to the death penalty? Is that a progress? I don't think so,' Dr Yang told NewsWire. 'The good word of the Australian government has been taken by Chinese authorities as a weakness.' Dr Feng suggested trade could be used as a leverage to promote, like reciprocal tariffs and refusing to export resources like coal, iron ore or rare earths. 'They took the soft approach to (get) goodwill with the Chinese government and in return they expect Chinese authorities to do something good for Yang Hengjun or release Yan Hengjun,' he said. 'It's been more than six years and the soft approach has not worked. The Australian government has leverage on trade … but if Australia is serious about human rights, or want to make the life of an Australian citizen as a priority, they could opt for a reciprocal approach.' In May, Dr Yang penned a letter to Mr Albanese marking his sixth year in jail, and described the 'unbearable suffering' he had faced and thanked the Australian government for doing the 'utmost to bring me home for medical care and reunification with my family'. 'I feel all of your support beside me as I stagger through the hardest and darkest chapter of my life, allowing me to immerse in the warmth of humanity,' he wrote. 'It has helped me to understand the value of words and deeds of a government of the people, by the people, for the people – to enable me to fully understand the true meaning of being an Australian citizen.' A spokesman for Mr Albanese said the government 'will continue to advocate for Dr Yang's interests and wellbeing at every opportunity'. In the days after Dr Yang was given the suspended death sentence, Mr Albanese said Australia had conveyed 'our dismay, our despair, our frustration … (and) our outrage at this verdict'. Most recently in May this year, he said he would 'advocate for Dr Yang's interests and wellbeing at every opportunity''. Foreign Minister Penny Wong has also reiterated the desire to see Dr Yang reunited with his family, and in February issued a statement stating Australia remained 'appalled' by the sentence. 'We hold serious concerns about Dr Yang's health and conditions. We continue to press to ensure his needs are met and he receives appropriate medical care,' he said. 'Dr Yang is entitled to basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment, in accordance with international norms and China's legal obligations.' Coalition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash said Mr Albanese's upcoming trip was the 'perfect opportunity' for conversations to be raised 'directly with the Chinese leadership'. 'It is incumbent on Mr Albanese to advocate at the highest levels for Dr Yang's release from the unjust detention imposed on him,' she said.
West Australian
6 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Kevin Hogan says Anthony Albanese's lack of action to meet with Trump a ‘real shame' amid PM's trip to China
It is a 'real shame' Anthony Albanese does not have the 'same exuberance' about meeting with Donald Trump as he does Xi Jinping, the shadow Trade Minister says, describing the Prime Minister's mission to China as a 'working holiday'. Kevin Hogan made the comments as Mr Albanese prepared to arrive back on home soil after a six-day charm offensive in China where he focused on stabilising Australia's relationship with its key trading partner. During the tour Mr Albanese met with Mr Xi, his fourth meeting with the Chinese President, as well as Premier Li Qiang and National People's Congress chairman Zhao Leji, in a bid to strengthen the country's economic ties. Mr Hogan said it was important Mr Albanese made the visit, but added: 'I think it's a shame he doesn't have the same exuberance, if you like, to meet with the US President and go to the US, but that's something we need to work on'. He acknowledged Mr Albanese was working to secure a meeting with Mr Trump and said it was 'important we continue to reach out'. 'I think it's good the Prime Minister went to China, I think it's good that he did the panda thing and re-enacted Gough Whitlam's Great Wall of China visit. I don't have a criticism of that,' he said on Friday. 'They are an important trading partner, I'm glad the Prime Minister has visited there and been there for that reason. I'm just adding it's a real shame he doesn't have the same exuberance about doing that with the US President.' Opposition Finance Minister James Paterson on Thursday slammed the trip, saying though the Coalition had provided bipartisan support for the Government's trade mission, the visit had started to look 'a little bit indulgent'. Senator Paterson argued the appropriate time to do a 'nostalgic history tour of Labor Party mythology' was in retirement, not after failing to meet the US President since his election. Mr Albanese has come under intense pressure to lock in a meeting with Mr Trump after the Pentagon called a snap review into the future of the AUKUS pact. Mr Trump's trade tariffs have also been a sore point. 'We have profoundly serious issues at stake in that bilateral relationship as well, including potentially tariffs on one of our largest export industries to the United States, pharmaceuticals,' Senator Paterson said. Asked if Mr Albanese got the 'tone and balance right' with his trip, shadow Defence Minister Angus Taylor said he was 'still trying to work out what he's coming home with'. 'He went down memory lane, listened to some Midnight Oil and went in the footsteps of Gough Whitlam, but we need more than that,' he said. Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek on Friday said stabilising Australia's relationship with China 'has been important particularly for our farmers, our grain growers, our wine makers, our lobster fishermen'. 'The fact that the Prime Minister is in China at the moment shows the Australian Government's commitment to making sure that it continues to be a strong economic relationship,' she told the ABC. 'The Prime Minister's had a roundtable about our iron ore exports to China. 'The iron ore that Australia exports is the largest source of foreign iron ore in China. We know how important steelmaking is for the modern economy. 'The Prime Minister's visited a tourism business. Chinese tourism to Australia is the largest source of tourism by value, it's worth more than $9 billion a year already. 'And so, people should see the potential benefits of increasing China's tourism to Australia. The hundreds of millions or billions of dollars of extra spending it will feed into the Australian economy as we see Chinese tourism increase.'
Canada News.Net
16-07-2025
- Business
- Canada News.Net
Australian PM reaches China, focuses on business ties
BEIJING, China: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese started a weeklong visit to China over the weekend. The visit aims to revitalize economic relations and expand cooperation between the two nations. The trip marks a significant moment in the ongoing thaw in relations following years of diplomatic strain. Albanese's first official engagement was a meeting in Shanghai on July 13 with Chen Jining, the city's Communist Party Secretary. The meeting is the first in a series of high-level discussions, including planned talks with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang, and Zhao Leji, Chairman of the National People's Congress. "This is a very large business delegation, which underscores the significance of our economic relationship," Albanese said in an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CGTN shortly after landing in Shanghai. During the visit, Albanese is expected to meet business, tourism, and sports leaders in Shanghai and Chengdu. On Tuesday, he will attend a CEO roundtable in Beijing, part of an effort to expand commercial dialogue and investment opportunities. One notable development so far has been the signing of an agreement between Chinese travel giant and Tourism Australia, aimed at boosting Chinese tourism to Australia. The deal reflects a mutual interest in reviving travel and people-to-people exchanges that were disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is Albanese's second trip to China since his center-left Labor Party returned to power in 2022. The government was reelected with a stronger mandate in May, reinforcing its approach of steady engagement and pragmatic diplomacy with Beijing. Under Albanese's leadership, Australia has made significant progress in mending ties that had deteriorated during the tenure of the previous conservative administration. At the height of the tensions, Beijing had cut off ministerial communication and imposed a wide array of trade restrictions—both formal and informal—that severely affected Australian exporters, with estimated annual losses of more than 20 billion Australian dollars (US$13 billion). The diplomatic freeze was triggered by a range of contentious issues, most notably Australia's call for an independent international inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. Since taking office, however, Albanese has sought to rebuild trust while also reducing Australia's overreliance on its largest trading partner. "My government very much values our relationship with China," Albanese said during his meeting with Chen. "We engage calmly and consistently. It's in our national interest to have strong relations with China, and we will continue to pursue those interests constructively." Chinese state media echoed the positive tone. An editorial by Xinhua News Agency on Saturday described bilateral ties as "steadily improving" and gaining "fresh momentum." The visit is widely seen as an essential step in reinforcing economic ties while maintaining a careful balance between strategic independence and commercial cooperation. As Australia navigates a complex regional environment, Albanese's approach underscores a return to dialogue and diplomacy to manage one of the country's most critical relationships. "There are no fundamental conflicts of interest between China and Australia," the editorial stated. "By managing differences through mutual respect and focusing on shared interests, the two sides can achieve common prosperity and benefit."
Asahi Shimbun
16-07-2025
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Australian Prime Minister complains to President Xi about Chinese live-fire exercises
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reacts as he holds talks with China's President Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 15. (AAP Image via AP) BEIJING--Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he complained to China's President Xi Jinping during a meeting on Tuesday about a Chinese naval live-fire exercise off the Australian coast that forced commercial aircraft to change course. The exercise, held in February, saw a Chinese flotilla partially circumnavigate Australia in international waters beneath a busy commercial flight path in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. The mission was widely regarded as a display of Chinese military strength and was among several issues raised in what Albanese described as a 'very constructive meeting.' 'President Xi said that China engaged in exercises, just as Australia engages in exercises,' Albanese told reporters, referring to freedom of navigation missions conducted by Australian military in the disputed South China Sea. 'I said what I said at the time,' Albanese added. 'There was no breach of international law by China, but that we were concerned about the notice and the way that it happened, including the live-fire exercises.' Albanese said the Chinese leader did not mention U.S. pressure on allies to declare positions on a potential war over Taiwan. 'I reaffirmed on Taiwan Australia's position of support for the status quo,' Albanese said. Australia has a one-China policy that recognizes the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China and considers Taiwan a part of China. With the 10th anniversary of Australia's free trade deal with China falling this year, both governments have agreed to review the pact with an aim to improve economic relations. Following the meeting with Xi, Albanese met Premier Li Qiang and Chairman Zhao Leji of the National People's Congress. At the outset of the leaders' meeting, Xi told Albanese that seeking common ground while setting aside differences is in line with 'the fundamental interests of our two countries and our two peoples.' Albanese concurred with Xi's remark, saying 'That approach has indeed produced very positive benefits for both Australia and for China.' There had been speculation that Xi would use the meeting to raise Albanese's plan to end a Chinese company's 99-year-lease on the strategically important Port of Darwin, which the United States is concerned could be used to spy on its military forces. Landbridge Industry Australia, a subsidiary of Rizhao-based Shandong Landbridge Group, signed the lease with the Northern Territory government in 2015, three years after U.S. Marines began annual rotations through Darwin as part of a U.S. pivot to Asia. But Albanese said Xi did not mention the lease, nor did he discuss the broader issue of Australia's foreign investment rules that prevent Chinese ownership of critical infrastructure. Reporters questioned Albanese about Chinese security officials' treatment of Australian journalists who traveled to China with him. Reporter Stephen Dziedzic said he recording a piece to camera for Australian TV news in front of a Beijing landmark with a camera crew on Tuesday when he was interrupted by security guards. The guard told the group that police would be called. The Australians were not permitted to leave. Another reporter, Anna Henderson, said guards told journalists to delete their footage. Australian diplomats intervened and TV crews were permitted to leave. 'China has a different system, obviously, with the media,' Albanese said. The state visit is Albanese's second visit to China since he was elected prime minister in 2022. Australia, like many countries in the Asia-Pacific region, is caught between China and the United States. Its economy is heavily dependent on exports to China, including iron ore for the steel industry. But it also shares America's concerns about China's human rights record and its growing military activity in the Pacific, including in waters near Australia. Albanese is in Beijing at the midpoint of a weeklong trip to China that started in Shanghai — China's commercial capital — where government and business leaders from the two countries discussed deepening cooperation in tourism and reducing carbon emissions in iron ore mining and steel production. From Beijing, he will travel to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, where he said he would focus on growing ties in medical technology and sports.
