Australian news and politics live: PM says $20b trade, tourism deals resuming as China mission accomplished

Sussan Ley says Anthony Albanese should have done more to call out the Chinese navy for its circumnavigation of Australia, saying she was “disappointed” China’s President Xi Jinping did not give his assurance that it would not happen again.

Ms Ley said Australia wanted a “respectful relationship” with China, but said the Prime Mininster needed to “hold his ground”.

“We wish the Prime Minister well on his visit to China, and of course we want to see more trade and tourism,” she told Today on Thursday.

“I am disappointed that there wasn’t an assurance that we wouldn’t have a repeat of circumnavigation of our coastline, live firing, civilian aircraft having to be diverted out of that airspace.

“It’s not good enough. We want a strong, respectful relationship, but that respect has to cut both ways.

“It’s important to demand that accountability, it is important in those government-to-government conversations that the Prime Minister holds his ground.”

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Senator James Paterson, Coalition spokesperson, has warned China will likely “conduct more live-firing exercises” due to President Xi Jinping’s response to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese raising concerns.

“I’m pleased the Prime Minister raised it, but it is troubling to see that President Xi was dismissive about this, and that the People’s Liberation Army Navy can be expected to conduct more live-firing exercises like this in the future in our region without notice – just like it does around the Philippines, Vietnam,” Senator Paterson told Sky News on Thursday.

“We can expect more of that to happen now.

“Or indeed around Taiwan. We’ve seen really a significant escalation of military exercises around Taiwan in a way that should be troubling to all Australians, because what we believe in is the preservation of the peaceful status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

“It is critically important that the Prime Minister, I hope, has used the opportunity of meeting with China’s leaders during this visit to reaffirm that with absolute clarity and unambiguously.”

Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles has called for deescalation after Israel struck Syria’s military headquarters.

“We want to see a de-escalation,” he told ABC RN on Thursday following the strike.

“Our position on this is that, obviously, what we want to see is a de-escalation in the conflict that’s playing out in the Middle East.”

Clashes have raged in the southern Syrian city of Sweida after a ceasefire between Government forces and Druze armed groups collapsed.

In response to the growing escalation, Israel struck a target in Damascus.

The Reserve Bank will have a keen eye on fresh data on Australia’s jobs market as its next decision on interest rates draws closer.

Labour force figures for June will be released on Thursday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics and are tipped to show the unemployment rate remaining at 4.1 per cent for the month.

The predictions come despite a tightening of the jobs market.

The Reserve Bank would continue to closely monitor the jobless rate before its next meeting in August, NAB’s head of Australian economics Gareth Spence said.

“I think the focus for the RBA will be ensuring the labour market remains healthy going forward,” he said.

“The timing of cuts is not super important. It’s more about where do they end up.”

In a move that shocked analysts and disappointed mortgage holders, the RBA kept the cash rate steady at 3.85 per cent at its last board meeting on July 8.

Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles has highlighted the “complex” relationship between Australia and China, whilst saying Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s trip to the People’s Republic has been “really important”.

“Our relationship with China is obviously complex,” Mr Marles told ABC RN on Thursday.

“It’s obviously challenging. But there are opportunities in it as well.

“Trade is the way in which we have stabilised the relationship with China over the last few years.

“A resumption of trade has been much to the benefit of the Australian economy. Thousands of jobs have been restored as a result of that.

“So there is opportunity here.”

Pandas and bionic ears are on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s agenda as his six-day tour of China reaches its final leg.

Mr Albanese touched down in Chengdu, in China’s southwest on Wednesday afternoon, where he announced the Sichuan capital would be given hosting rights to an Australian Open wildcard play-off tournament for a second year running.

In the sweltering 37C heat, the Prime Minister turned down the offer of a hit on centre court, instead hailing the role of sport in boosting people-to-people and cultural links between Australia and China.

“I know that my dear friend (former professional tennis player) Glenn Busby comes here and coaches and spends a lot of time here each year, and he tells me that China will dominate the sport in the years to come,” he said.

Chengdu, a provincial hub home to 21 million residents, is best known outside of China as the home of giant pandas.

Mr Albanese will visit a breeding research centre at the forefront of efforts to save the species from extinction.

As well as a beloved cultural icon, pandas are a central part of China’s efforts to exert soft power in the world.

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