Albanese to Meet CCP Leader Xi for Fourth Time as Trump Meeting Remains Elusive

While the dust has hardly settled on the unfulfilled expectations that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese would meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, the Australian leader has confirmed a fourth meeting with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Leader Xi Jinping.

Albanese is expected to fly to Beijing in July for an in-person meeting with Xi.

It comes following two failed opportunities for Albanese and Trump to meet on the sidelines of the G7 and NATO summits, which are instead being attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles.

A number of outstanding topics remain officially unaddressed between Australia and the U.S., including a 10 percent “Liberation Day” tariff on Australia’s beef exports, or the proposed 50 percent tariff on steel and aluminium.

Other matters include the potential impact of a proposed 100 percent tariff on Hollywood productions filmed overseas, and a push for Australia to raise its defence spending to 3.5 percent of GDP.

The last time Albanese and Xi met was on the sidelines of the Rio de Janeiro G20 Summit in November 2024.

During that meeting, Xi urged the formation of what he called a “comprehensive strategic partnership” between the two nations.

Albanese wrote on X afterwards that “stabilising Australia’s relationship with China is in the interests of both our countries.”

“Dialogue is critical, and we’ve made encouraging progress,” he said.

“Trade is flowing more freely. And that brings benefits to both countries, and people and businesses on both sides.”

Albanese said at the time that Australia’s approach would remain “patient, calibrated, and deliberate.”

That meeting came just months after Australian democracy activist Yang Hengjun was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve—meaning he could instead face life in prison—by a CCP court, alleging he had operated as a spy.

Last month, Yang penned a heartfelt letter pleading for Australian leaders to intervene on his behalf.

It remains unclear whether Albanese will raise recent developments, including Yang’s plea for help and the Chinese military’s circumnavigation of Australia this year, during the upcoming visit.