Treasurer raises China missile blast in Beijing meeting
Jim Chalmers has raised China’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile over the Pacific during critical talks with economic policy-makers.
The treasurer co-chaired the Australia-China Strategic Economic Dialogue in Beijing on Thursday.
Ahead of Dr Chalmers’ arrival, the Chinese military’s rocket force test-fired the missile for the first time in more than four decades.
Earlier this week, Australian, Japanese and New Zealand navy ships sailed through the Taiwan Strait.
Speaking from Beijing on Friday, Dr Chalmers confirmed he had spoken about the missile blast during talks with policy-makers.
“I was able to reiterate in the meetings yesterday afternoon our expectations of safe and professional conduct of all militaries operating in our region,” he told reporters on Friday.
“I was able to raise that in the conversation yesterday afternoon, but as you would expect, the overwhelming focus of our discussions here have been the economy.”
The treasurer said Australia’s passage through the strait was not discussed during the meeting.
“Australia, like other countries in our region and around the world, has a lot at stake when it comes to a stable, secure, peaceful and prosperous region,” he said.
“These are routine activities, and they’re conducted in accordance with international law.”
Dr Chalmers said it was “crucial” the economic dialogue was restarted, as he became the first Australian treasurer in seven years to visit China.
“It’s a very good outcome for Australia that we will be hosting our counterparts next year to continue to advance these discussions on areas like trade and investment, decarbonisation of our industries, business engagement,” he said.
Lingering trade bans remain on Australian beef exporters and rock lobster, after Beijing removed most of the $20 billion sanctions imposed in 2020 during strained relations.
Dr Chalmers said that during the talks he spoke about “safeguarding” the global rules-based system of open trade and having fair and free markets which had served economies “so well”.
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