Joint Statement on Annual Meeting between Chinese and Australian PMs, Including "Strengthening Cooperation to Combat Illicit Tobacco and E-Cigarette Smuggling"

According to a report by Xinhua News Agency on June 17, at the invitation of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, paid an official visit to Australia from June 15 to 18, 2024. During the visit to Canberra on June 17, Premier Li Qiang and Prime Minister Albanese held talks, jointly held the annual meeting between Chinese and Australian Prime Ministers, and met with the press together. At the annual meeting, the two leaders exchanged views on Sino-Australian relations and significant international and regional issues.

The leaders of the two countries agreed to maintain and expand contact in the following areas:

Political dialogue

 

This includes defense strategy discussions, meetings with the Ministry of National Defense, and the first bilateral dialogue on maritime affairs.

 

Bilateral trade

 

This includes both countries' leaders attending the CEO roundtable meeting between Chinese and Australian business leaders in Perth on June 18; welcoming the implementation of the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) mutual recognition arrangement; promoting the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP); and signing memorandums of understanding for cooperation in areas such as standards, measurements, intellectual property rights, competition, and food safety.

 

Climate change, energy, and the environment.

 

This includes restarting bilateral climate change and energy dialogues, hosting the eighth China-Australia Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Change in Australia later this year, and initiating technical cooperation on soil carbon monitoring and climate smart agricultural practices.

 

Cultural Exchange

 

This includes expanding cooperation to increase the scale of personnel exchanges between China and Australia, as well as enhancing exchanges in the fields of culture, sports, education, innovation, academia, aviation, health, tourism, and more.

 

Border law enforcement

 

Based on the foundation of bilateral law enforcement cooperation in areas of mutual concern such as drug control and combating transnational organized crime, efforts will be strengthened to collaborate in combating the smuggling of illicit tobacco and e-cigarettes.

2FIRSTS noted that, compared to the Joint Statement of the China-Australia Prime Ministers' Annual Meeting released on November 7, 2023, this year's annual meeting has, for the first time in the joint statement, specifically mentioned "border enforcement, and on the basis of bilateral law enforcement cooperation in the fields of drug prohibition and combating transnational organized crime of mutual concern, strengthening cooperation to combat the smuggling of illicit tobacco and e-cigarettes."