On the second day of visiting Australia, Chinese Premier Li Chang visited Adelaide Zoo and a winery. During his visit to Adelaide Zoo with South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas on the 16th local time, Premier Li emphasized enhancing cooperation between the two countries for mutual achievements that transcend differences across the Pacific.
Premier Li, who arrived in Australia following his visit to New Zealand, started his four-day itinerary in the country. This visit marks the first time a Chinese premier has visited New Zealand and Australia in seven years. He expressed joy in seeing the giant pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni, the only pair of pandas in the Southern Hemisphere, living happily in Australia despite being far from home. He also promised to send a new panda couple to China as part of the agreement between the two countries after Wang Wang and Fu Ni return after 15 years.
Later, Premier Li visited a winery in South Australia as a symbolic gesture after China lifted tariffs on Australian wine earlier in the year. His visit to Australia is a significant step taken amidst recent thawing tensions in both security and economic relationships between the two countries.
The visit includes meetings in Canberra with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and visits to a coal mine in South Australia and a key mineral operation related to Chinese companies in Perth. While economic ties are on the path to recovery, security issues still pose a challenge for both countries, with China expanding its influence in the Pacific region. Australia, on the other hand, is strengthening its defense capabilities to counter China through initiatives like AUKUS.
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