Penny Wong on China

Penny Wong, in her capacity as Foreign Minister, has pursued a strategy focused on stabilising and constructively managing the relationship with the People's Republic of China. She has consistently advocated for dialogue, evidenced by the co-hosting of the Ninth Australia-China High Level Dialogue in Beijing in September 2025, which brings together leaders from government, industry, and academia to frankly discuss shared interests and differences. Her approach involves strengthening bilateral ties where possible, such as noting the full recovery of economic and trade exchanges, while ensuring engagement remains risk-informed and advances Australia's national interest. She has reiterated Australia's firm pursuit of the one-China policy as the political foundation for the relationship.

While engaging on areas of cooperation, the Minister has also directly confronted Beijing on matters deemed contrary to Australian sovereignty and values. She directly complained to her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, about the targeted intimidation of exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy campaigners residing in Australia, describing such transnational repression as reprehensible. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has, in turn, called on Australia to respect China's core interests and refrain from sheltering individuals it deems fugitives under its national security legislation. This dual approach signals a preference for pragmatic diplomacy over sustained confrontation, aimed at achieving a more mature and stable comprehensive strategic partnership.