According to Spokesperson Wang Wenbin, the visit will run from March 17 to 21 and include holding the 7th China-Australia Foreign and Strategic Dialogue.

“China looks forward to working with the two countries to implement the consensus reached by the leaders, enhance strategic communication, deepen mutual trust, advance exchanges and cooperation, and jointly promote the steady and sustained development of comprehensive strategic partnership,” he added.

The foreign minister will visit Australia for the first time in seven years. Next week’s trip comes after solving a series of diplomatic and trade disagreements that included tariffs by China on wine and other products from that Oceania nation.

“I hope to meet Wang Yi during his visit to Canberra,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said during a televised press briefing.

Despite the rapprochement, China has repeatedly criticized Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States for their military cooperation within the so-called trilateral security partnership and their Cold War mentality.

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