By Kimberley Kao
China will include Australia in its visa waiver program, Premier Li Qiang announced after his meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, a sign of improving bilateral relations between the two countries.
"We agreed to provide each other with reciprocal access to five-year multiple entry visas for tourism, business and visiting family members so as to better facilitate personal exchanges," Li said in a press statement Monday.
"China will also include Australia in its visa waiver program. We both stress the importance of maintaining communication and coordination," Li added, without providing further details of the program.
Li is first Chinese premier to visit Australia in seven years, and is the second-highest ranking official in China.
Speaking after his meeting with Albanese in Canberra, Li said China and Australia agreed to deepen their economic and trade cooperation in "energy, mining, new energy vehicles, green development and digital economy."
Li added that they held a "candid exchange of views of some differences and disagreements," and that they agreed to "properly manage them."
"A growing and more open China will bring more opportunities for win-win cooperation to Australia and the rest of the world," Li said.
China remains Australia's largest trading partner, Albanese said, and that Australia "will cooperate with China where we can, disagree where we must and engage in the national interest."
Australia and China signed a range of agreements, including on trade, education and research, and cultural exchanges, Albanese added.
The visa waiver announcement comes after a similar move on Friday, when Li announced New Zealand would be added to China's unilateral visa waiver program, during his visit to the country. China last month extended its visa-free entry program until the end of 2025 for some European countries and Malaysia, for up to 15 days for business and tourism.
Write to Kimberley Kao at kimberley.kao@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
06-17-24 0152ET
