Chinese President Xi Jinping has told Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese that their countries will become “trusting partners” as the two leaders moved to amend ties strained for years over issues from trade to human rights and the COVID-19 pandemic.

However Albanese who has sought to stabilise ties since taking office last May, sez a stronger relationship will be “beneficial into the future” also nothing the positive progress made in recent months after Beijing lifted most of its restrictions on Australian goods.

Recall For decades, China and Australia built a relationship on trade, with Beijing becoming Canberra’s biggest commercial partner, but ties soured after Australia, then under the conservative government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison, accused China of meddling in its politics.