Forget neutral ground: Xi was the host and Albanese his guest

Getting down to business, Xi and Albanese sat across from each other at long tables with an elaborate flower display sitting in between them. The set-up – distanced and highly formal – was an apt metaphor for the profound differences separating the two nations. Both men spoke through interpreters so they could understand each other.

In their opening statements both men alluded to their nations’ troubled recent history. Xi said the relationship had “run into some difficulties”, a view expressed by Albanese in near identical words. Neither apologised for past behaviour or indicated any inclination to give any ground on substantive issues.

Xi brought the bigger delegation with him, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his ministers for finance and commerce. Albanese’s entourage included Glyn Davis, the secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and Jan Adams, the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The meeting concluded after almost exactly half an hour, longer than Albanese said he had expected when he walked into the room.

In the lead-up to the encounter, Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott hailed it as a “tremendous reset” of the Australia-China relationship. Albanese was far more judicious, describing it only as a valuable opportunity for dialogue.

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Afterwards he characterised it as a “positive and constructive discussion, and I was pleased it was held”.

Half-an-hour of face time, of course, was not enough to bridge the chasm between the two nations. China has not removed its sanctions on Australian lobster, coal and wine; Australian journalist Cheng Lei and writer Yang Hengjun remain detained in China.

But after years of silence the leaders were on talking terms again, with the promise of more dialogue to follow.

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