Chinese President Xi Jinping on 13 May 2025 personally congratulated Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on his re-election, in a message that also called for stronger bilateral cooperation and reinforced a shared vision for global peace and stability.
The gesture marks a continuation of the warming diplomatic ties between China and Australia following years of tensions over trade and strategic issues.
The message from Xi, released by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, expressed Beijing’s willingness to move the China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership forward “in a steady fashion”.
Xi highlighted that over the past three years, he had met with Albanese and engaged in substantive discussions on “strategic, comprehensive and directional issues” that have helped shape a pathway for improved bilateral ties.
These engagements, according to Xi, produced “important consensuses” which now serve as strategic guidance in deepening the relationship between the two nations.
The Chinese president added that strengthening ties between China and Australia held major significance for regional development and the promotion of world peace and stability.
The message came at a symbolic moment—coinciding with the formal swearing-in of Australia’s new cabinet—marking the beginning of Albanese’s second term in office after a decisive win in the 3 May federal election.
His Labor Party secured an increased majority of 93 seats in the 151-seat House of Representatives.
China’s foreign ministry had already extended an earlier message of goodwill following the election, but Xi’s personal intervention is viewed as a diplomatic upgrade—indicating Beijing’s intent to stabilise and perhaps strengthen its ties with Canberra.
The outreach contrasts with the more cautious stance China maintained during earlier years of tension with Australia.
Under the previous Australian government, Beijing imposed an estimated US$20 billion in trade sanctions and froze high-level diplomatic communications amid rising concerns in Canberra about Chinese influence in domestic affairs and its strategic ambitions in the Indo-Pacific.
Tensions had flared again earlier this year when the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy conducted a circumnavigation of Australia, along with live-fire drills in February, located approximately 640 kilometres off the New South Wales coast.
These military activities disrupted 49 commercial flight paths between Australia and New Zealand and drew criticism from Australian officials.
In contrast to Xi’s personal outreach to Albanese, China’s response to Singapore’s general election, also held on 3 May, was delivered at a lower diplomatic level.
Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party, led by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, achieved a dominant victory—winning 87 out of 97 parliamentary seats and raising its popular vote to 65.57 percent, up from 61.23 percent in 2020.
The Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian offered formal congratulations to Wong and the PAP during a regular press briefing on 6 May.
Lin acknowledged the milestone of the 35th anniversary of China-Singapore diplomatic relations and stated that China looked forward to working with the new Singapore government to deepen cooperation.
“We stand ready to work with the new Singapore government to strengthen communication and exchanges, deepen practical cooperation and elevate the China-Singapore all-round, high-quality, future-oriented partnership to a new level,” Lin said.
The post Xi Jinping personally congratulates Australian PM Albanese on re-election, calls for deeper ties appeared first on The Online Citizen.
