On 13 January, the Australian Financial Review published an opinion article by H.E. Ambassador Xiao Qian of the People’s Republic of China.

The article makes incorrect assertions about Australian Government policy.  It is not accurate that China’s “one-China principle is the fundamental political foundation of China-Australia relations”.

For clarity, Australia has a one-China policy, as distinct from China’s one-China principle. Australia’s one-China policy is bipartisan and longstanding and has not changed. It is contained within the 1972 Joint Communiqué concerning the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Australia and China.

Australia has a deep and productive unofficial relationship with Taiwan including trade and investment, education, tourism and people-to-people ties. This is consistent with Australia’s one-China policy.

As recently as the Annual Leaders’ Meeting of June 2024, Australia and China reiterated the importance of the 1972 Joint Communiqué and ‘restated their commitment to their respective national policies and positions contained therein, including mutual respect, equality, mutual benefit, stable development and Australia’s commitment to its one-China policy’.