Editor's note: Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong made a trip to China on December 20-21. What positive changes does her visit bring to China-Australia relations? Daryl Guppy, a national board member of the Australia China Business Council, gave us some clues during the interview. The views expressed in the video are his own and not necessarily those of CGTN.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong arrived in China for diplomatic talks at the invitation of her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. This is the first time an Australian minister has traveled to China since November 2019. A joint outcomes statement was issued after the dialogue on December 21.

CGTN: What does this visit signal to the prospect of China-Australia ties?

Daryl Guppy: It signals an improvement in Australia-China relations. Foreign Minister Wong has been determined to stabilize relations through the exercise of diplomacy. She has discarded the belligerent loudhailer approach favored by the previous government. Wong and new Australian government approach China with the same level of respect. There are, of course, inevitable differences, but they should not stand in the way of bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

CGTN: What changes have taken place in Australia's trade and foreign policy toward China after Anthony Albanese took office?

Daryl Guppy: The reality is that there has been very little change in the trade and foreign policy by Australia. What has changed is the return to civilized dialogue and diplomacy. We no longer see the bellicose scolding and provocation of China that became a characteristic of the previous Australian government. It's the preference for diplomacy rather than confrontation that is the most important change in the relationship.

Now many in business hope to see a resolution of trade issues achieved through discussion rather than through the drawn-out processes of WTO. That's in everybody's interest. But most of all, all of those working with China look forward to the resumption of face-to-face means that all levels of business and government, we need to resume dialogue so that each can understand the other more deeply. This will help foreign policy and trade to develop more effectively.

CGTN: What kind of breakthrough can bring China-Australia ties back on the right track?

Daryl Guppy: Relationship is at a low point largely because the Australian government blindly followed the anti-China approach taken by (former U.S.) President (Donald) Trump and that was because Australia wanted to curry favor with the United States. Australian foreign policy became a replica of U.S. policy in a way that did not always serve Australia's best interests. Policy in relation to China was heavily influenced by foreign-funded think tanks and by a general media that's owned largely by U.S. interest. A great deal of misinformation about China was given to the public.

Today's visit (December 20) by Penny Wong is an important breakthrough, because it signals a return to diplomacy and dialogue and this will stabilize the bilateral relationship. And that is the first step to bringing the bilateral ties back on track.

Interviewer: Zhou Xin

Video editor: Zhang Yu

Graphic designer: Li Jingjie

Executive producers: Bi Jianlu, Zhang Peijin, Wang Xinyan

Chief editors: Ren Yan, Wang Ying

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