China's relationship with Australia 'on the right track': Premier Li

CANBERRA

China's relationship with Australia is "on the right track", Premier Li Qiang said in Canberra on Monday as the two trading partners moved on from a bitter economic dispute.

The highest-ranking Chinese official to visit Australia since 2017, Li held high-level talks with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following a welcome ceremony at Parliament House.

"In less than one year Prime Minister Albanese and I have met multiple times and exchanged visits to each other's country," Li said following their meeting.

"This shows that our countries attach great importance to our relationship and that this relationship is on the right track of steady improvement and development."

Starting in 2020, a slew of Australia's most lucrative export commodities were effectively banned from China as diplomatic relations between the two countries rapidly unravelled.

But as ties have gradually improved under a new government in Canberra, Beijing has wound back most of these costly trade barriers.

Although the trading relationship is on surer footing, Australia remains critical of China's efforts to accumulate influence in the South Pacific.

Li said he and Albanese had a "candid exchange of views on some differences and disagreements".

Albanese had earlier stressed the importance of "candid dialogue".