Australia wants stable ties despite rivalry

China and Australia yesterday sought to keep ties on an even keel despite tensions over military encounters in the South China Sea and rivalry in the Asia-Pacific region, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese describing both sides as “friends”.

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China is ready to build a more stable and strategic partnership with Australia, Premier Li Qiang told Mr Albanese on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian summit in Malaysia, according to China's official Xinhua news agency.

Mr Albanese visited China in July to mend ties that had been strained to near breaking point under the previous Australian administration, vowing to keep communication channels open and look for areas of cooperation while guarding against “misunderstanding”.