'Win-win' ties walk the talk

Canberra's heat in the Australian midsummer can feel almost unreal.

On a blistering 42 C day, a heat wave swept across the grassy slopes of Parliament House. The sun beat down relentlessly, burning the skin, pushing everyone to walk faster, as if the heat itself was chasing them.

Through the sweltering heat, I made my way to the Chinese Embassy in Australia, joining my Australian and Chinese colleagues for a New Year media briefing on Jan 28.

It was blazing hot outside, but the moment I stepped inside the embassy, the mood felt much calmer. The conversation unfolded slowly and patiently, far from the usual rush one might expect.

A "media briefing" typically comes with the expectation of scripted statements and diplomatic language. However, as the discussion went on, what I felt in the room was something more direct—a steady, face-to-face effort to address concerns, clear up misunderstandings, and place China-Australia relations back into a rational and realistic frame.

Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian began with a simple summary of the past year: "steady progress" in bilateral relations.

He pointed out that, amid growing turbulence and shifts in the international landscape, bilateral relations had withstood the test. The China-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership had entered its second decade, showing even greater resilience in the face of global challenges.

With just a few words, Ambassador Xiao captured the positive momentum the relationship had built after its full turnaround.

Over the past year, high-level visits and face-to-face engagements between China and Australia had increased.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had visited China, and leaders from both sides had met in person. Several high-level dialogues moved forward in an orderly manner, and local exchanges also became more active.

Though these diplomatic events may seem routine, they reflect stronger political trust and tangible steps in rebuilding the relationship.

The phrase "win-win cooperation" is nothing new in diplomacy, but at a time when the international order is under strain, and the global economic and security landscape is being shaken, it carries much more real weight.

For the relationship between the two countries to remain stable, it must return to the basics: real cooperation, continued dialogue, and the solid foundation of trade.

In 2025, China-Australia trade once again exceeded AUD $300 billion ($210 billion).

Xiao described it as a development that brings strong confidence to global trade. China remains Australia's largest trading partner, top export destination, and the largest source of imports.

Agricultural products, mineral resources and healthcare goods are not just numbers in an economic report. Rather, they are directly tied to jobs, livelihoods, and the everyday expectations of ordinary people on both sides.

Last year also marked the 10th anniversary of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA), one of the highest-level trade and investment liberalization agreements China has signed, and a key foundation for stronger economic cooperation between the two nations.

Both sides are now assessing, reviewing, and exploring upgrading ChAFTA, something that clearly drew attention from my Australian colleagues as well.

Xiao told an Australian reporter that since the agreement took effect, much of the trade now enjoys "basically zero tax".

He even used Australian wine exports to China as an example, showing how zero tax makes business smoother and brings benefits to both sides.

At the same time, he stressed that the potential of China-Australia economic cooperation is far from being fully unlocked. That is exactly why both countries have now agreed to review and see what more they can do to further elevate their bilateral trade relationship.

This media briefing ended sooner than I expected.

Walking out of the embassy at noon, the sun was still glaring overhead, but my mind felt clearer. The anxiety stirred up by the heat, somehow, had been softened by the conversation.

In a world increasingly shaped by emotions and labels, what I heard from the ambassador was not just diplomatic positioning, but the very tangible value of cooperation: how trade supports livelihoods, how people-to-people exchanges narrow distance, and how differences can be managed rather than amplified.

His words made "win-win cooperation" feel less like an abstract concept, and more like something that is already happening, something real in the relationship between the two countries.

xinxin@chinadaily.com.cn