Latest news with #XiaoQian
AU Financial Review
08-07-2025
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Australia's China AI quandary is a dealmaker's opportunity
It is not surprising that reactions to Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian's suggestion that Australia and China cooperate more on artificial intelligence as part of an expanded Free Trade Agreement have been hawkish. However, it highlights the need for Australian organisations to broaden their view on the AI world. It would take a dramatic shift in policy position for Australia to suddenly start collaborating with China on AI infrastructure such as data centres and the equipment that runs them. But it would be wrong to assume that advances in capability will always come from America first.
News.com.au
08-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
PM unclear on Chinese AI offer amid Trump turbulence
Anthony Albanese has kept tight-lipped on China's offer to co-operate on artificial intelligence amid tensions between the government and the Trump administration. Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian wrote an op-ed this week saying Beijing was keen to take a 'more open attitude' to the free-trade agreement with Australia. Mr Xiao said that included bolstering 'co-operation in traditional areas such as agriculture and mining' but also exploring 'new growth areas in emerging fields like artificial intelligence' – a convenient offer against a backdrop of fierce AI competition with the US. Though, even as lacklustre Australian defence spending and US tariffs strain Canberra's alliance with Washington, the Prime Minister was hesitant to embrace or reject the offer on Tuesday. 'We will determine our policy,' Mr Albanese told reporters in Hobart. However, he was quick to spruik the benefits of free trade with China. 'Of course, we have a free-trade agreement that was done by the Coalition government when they were in office,' Mr Albanese said. 'What we have done is to get rid of the more than $20bn of impediments of goods that were stopped from going to China. 'It's made an enormous difference and we have, indeed, products like wine and barley have not just bounced back – they're back higher than they were before.' He also spruiked his upcoming trip to China, calling it an 'important trading partner for Australia'. 'Twenty-five per cent of our exports go to China,' Mr Albanese said. 'What that means is jobs and one of the things that my government prioritises is jobs.' Pressed on whether he was open to having AI covered by the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, he dodged it, saying his 'priority is jobs'. China is in an AI race with the US. The launch of DeepSeek in January dealt the first serious blow to the US' global leadership in the space, with the ensuing tech sell-off wiping about $US1 trillion ($A1.5 trillion) in value off American titan Nvidia. The Trump administration earlier this year announced a $US500bn investment in AI, eclipsing all other countries as the clear frontrunner. About the same time, China launched a AI investment fund with an initial $8.2bn.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Australia's Albanese confirms China visit as Beijing eyes trade deal review
SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday that he would visit China from this weekend as Beijing looks to build on partnerships on AI, green energy and the digital economy. "I look forward to going to Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu, which I will visit from Saturday," Albanese told reporters in Hobart. He did not give more details about his trip. This would be Albanese's second visit to China as prime minister, after his re-election in May. Albanese's first visit to Beijing as Prime Minister in 2023 broke a seven-year freeze in diplomatic ties, and he emphasised the need for communication with China, despite differences between the two trading partners. Albanese's trip comes as China, its largest trading partner, suggested a review of the 10-year-old free trade agreement between the two countries to boost ties in agriculture and mining, and explore growth areas in new technologies. "We are willing to review the agreement with a more open attitude and higher standard," Xiao Qian, the Chinese ambassador to Australia, wrote in The Australian Financial Review on Monday. When asked if Australia would look to expand the free trade deal with China to include AI, Albanese said: "We will determine our policy."
Reuters
08-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Australia's Albanese confirms China visit as Beijing eyes trade deal review
SYDNEY, July 8 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday that he would visit China from this weekend as Beijing looks to build on partnerships on AI, green energy and the digital economy. "I look forward to going to Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu, which I will visit from Saturday," Albanese told reporters in Hobart. He did not give more details about his trip. This would be Albanese's second visit to China as prime minister, after his re-election in May. Albanese's first visit to Beijing as Prime Minister in 2023 broke a seven-year freeze in diplomatic ties, and he emphasised the need for communication with China, despite differences between the two trading partners. Albanese's trip comes as China, its largest trading partner, suggested a review of the 10-year-old free trade agreement between the two countries to boost ties in agriculture and mining, and explore growth areas in new technologies. "We are willing to review the agreement with a more open attitude and higher standard," Xiao Qian, the Chinese ambassador to Australia, wrote in The Australian Financial Review on Monday. When asked if Australia would look to expand the free trade deal with China to include AI, Albanese said: "We will determine our policy."
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
China wants AI in expanded trade deal with Australia
Strengthening ties between Chinese and Australian artificial intelligence researchers could be on the agenda when the prime minister visits China this week, as Beijing seeks to capitalise on trade tensions with the US. With President Donald Trump's tariffs straining relations with Australia's traditionally closest ally, China's top diplomat in Australia Xiao Qian has called for greater collaboration in fields like AI, healthcare and green energy under a revised free-trade deal between the two nations. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to China on Saturday comes as the Sino-Australian relationship continues to build following a downturn in relations under former Liberal prime minister Scott Morrison. "China and Australia are natural partners with complementary economic strengths," Mr Xiao wrote in an opinion piece published in the Australian Financial Review on Monday. "Standing at a new historical starting point, now is the time to advance bilateral relations with steady progress." Trade volumes between the two nations have bounced back after China lifted sanctions on Australian exports. The ambassador believes Mr Albanese's visit marks an opportunity to broaden the terms of the 10-year-old free-trade agreement. "We are willing to review the agreement with a more open attitude and higher standard, further consolidate co-operation in traditional areas such as agriculture and mining, and actively explore new growth areas in emerging fields like artificial intelligence, healthcare, green energy, and the digital economy, elevating practical co-operation to new heights," Mr Xiao wrote. The promotion of AI ties, amid the Albanese government's agenda to boost productivity, follows similar provisions in recently signed trade deals between Australia and partners such as Singapore, the UK and the UAE. These clauses encourage sharing AI research and commercialisation opportunities between the countries, as well as promoting its responsible use. There are attractive opportunities to deepen research collaboration in the fundamental science of AI, even though there are challenges to expanding the use of Chinese AI programs in Australia, said UNSW Professor Toby Walsh. "It's going to be very hard for us to have too deep relationships within terms of AI, because you can touch upon things like data sovereignty and various other things that we value," the AI expert told AAP. "It's not like just sending them gold and they take it, and that's the end of the partnership. "Sharing technologies like AI could pose significant national security and other risks." Allowing Chinese tech companies access to the Australian market has been a sore spot in the bilateral relationship. In 2018, then-Liberal prime minister Malcolm Turnbull banned the Chinese tech giant Huawei from developing 5G infrastructure in Australia over concerns the Chinese government could force the company to hand over Australians' data or interfere with the network. The decision prompted strenuous protests from Beijing and was a factor behind a subsequent diplomatic fallout. Prof Walsh said there were still areas where collaboration could be beneficial without forfeiting Australian security. "It's about exchanging people, it's training, it's us going to work with them and them coming to work with us," he said. "So it's things that we've always done in terms of scientific exchange, supercharging our science, supercharging their science, and then building our own business off the back of that scientific knowledge. "China will be interested in partnering with us. "We have wonderful medical data, and we have a joined-up healthcare system. "There's huge value in those national data sets we have that no one else has." As the US drives a wedge through a fragmenting global order, Mr Xiao framed China as a like-minded partner for Australia - one that shares Australia's interests in pushing back against unilateralism and protectionism. China is willing to work with Australia to strengthen multilateral organisations like the United Nations and ASEAN, safeguard regional peace and the international rules-based order, and advocate for free trade, the ambassador said. Assistant Trade Minister Matt Thistlethwaite said the government was seeking to strengthen access to China - Australia's largest trading partner - in the best interests of Australians.
