China and Australia Hold Senior Parliamentary Talks in Beijing

Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, met with Australian House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick in Beijing on September 20. Leading a multi-party delegation representing diverse Australian regions, Dick reaffirmed Australia's adherence to the one-China policy and expressed interest in deepening cooperation across trade, agriculture, mining, climate change, and artificial intelligence. Zhao emphasized consolidating political trust, respecting core interests, and expanding pragmatic cooperation in traditional and emerging sectors, highlighting legislative exchanges as an anchor for broader bilateral stabilization.

The visit by an Australian cross-party parliamentary delegation demonstrates that the stabilization of Australia-China relations is moving beyond executive diplomacy into the legislative sphere, reinforcing political and economic predictability across party lines.

Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), met with Australian House of Representatives Speaker Milton Dick at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on September 20, according to reports published by Xinhua and People's Daily. During the talks, Zhao noted that the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Beijing the previous year provided strategic direction for bilateral ties. He stated that China is willing to work with Australia to implement the consensus reached by their leaders, strengthen friendly exchanges, build political mutual trust, and expand pragmatic cooperation to advance the China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership in a sustained and stable manner. Zhao emphasized that both sides should solidify their political foundation by respecting each other's core interests and major concerns while properly managing differences. In terms of economic engagement, Zhao called for deepening cooperation in traditional sectors such as agriculture, minerals, and energy, alongside expanding initiatives in green development, clean energy, the digital economy, and climate change. He also underscored the value of subnational, educational, cultural, and youth exchanges, as well as coordination within multilateral frameworks including the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union. According to the official reports, Milton Dick observed that Australia-China relations are developing steadily and that both nations continue to benefit from robust trade and economic ties. Dick pointed out that the visiting Australian parliamentary delegation comprised lawmakers from different political parties and geographic regions, reflecting a shared domestic desire to see bilateral relations progress on a stable and enduring trajectory. Dick affirmed that Australia adheres to the one-China policy and expressed Australia's desire to enhance collaboration with China in trade, culture, agriculture, mining, climate change mitigation, and artificial intelligence to achieve mutual benefits. He added that the Australian House of Representatives stands ready to reinforce dialogue with the NPC to provide legislative support for practical bilateral cooperation.