Li Keqiang Congratulates Australia's Albanese

Premier Li Keqiang has congratulated newly-elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, ending a year-long freeze in diplomatic contact between the two countries.

Li said Beijing is ready to work with Canberra to review the past, look into the future, and uphold the principle of mutual respect and benefit, according to the Xinhua news agency late on Monday.

He added the “sound and stable development” of the two countries’ relations is conducive to peace, stability, development and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.

Tensions between the countries have been high in the past two years after Canberra called for a probe into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic and banned telecoms giant Huawei from building Australia's 5G network.

China – Australia's biggest trading partner – responded by imposing tariffs or disrupting more than a dozen key industries, including wine, barley and coal.

Li's message came as Albanese was heading for his first foreign engagement in Tokyo, where he is meeting with the leaders of Japan, India and the United States – an informal grouping known as the Quad.

In his first foreign policy address on Monday, Albanese said the relationship with Beijing would "remain a difficult one". (Xinhua/AFP)