China’s Premier Li Qiang has proposed sending two new pandas to Australia during his visit to Adelaide Zoo. These pandas will replace the current residents, Wang Wang and Fu Ni, who Mr. Li described as “friendly messengers of China-Australia relations.” This visit marks the first by a Chinese leader to Australia in seven years, signaling improved ties between the two nations.
The visit is seen as crucial for addressing unresolved trade and consular issues. Mr. Li noted that while Wang Wang and Fu Ni will return to China by the end of the year, China will soon provide another pair of equally charming and youthful pandas to the Adelaide Zoo. Panda diplomacy, a tradition dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE), continues to be a tool in China’s diplomatic strategy.
China is aiming to enhance its influence in the South Pacific, strengthening security and economic relationships with island nations traditionally allied with Australia. This ambition has been a source of tension, especially after former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an international investigation into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. In response, Beijing imposed high tariffs on Australian goods, including wine. During Mr. Li’s visit, his hosts took him to a winery, subtly highlighting the recent lifting of these wine tariffs by China.
Upon his arrival in Adelaide on Saturday, Mr. Li indicated a thaw in diplomatic relations, emphasizing “mutual respect, seeking common ground while shelving differences, and mutually beneficial cooperation” as essential to the relationship. Despite improving ties since the Labor Party took power in Australia in 2022, some issues remain unresolved, such as the removal of remaining trade barriers and the release of Australian democracy blogger Yang Hengjun, who was detained at Guangzhou airport in 2019.
On Monday, Mr. Li is scheduled to meet with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra. Mr. Albanese is expected to address Mr. Yang’s case, as Yang was given a suspended death sentence on espionage charges in February. As Mr. Li engages in diplomatic discussions and panda diplomacy in Australia, Mr. Yang’s supporters released a statement on Sunday urging Prime Minister Albanese to demand Yang’s release on medical parole, highlighting his serious and unaddressed medical conditions.
