Win-win cooperation walks the talk

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

A 42 C heat wave beat down on the grassy slopes of Parliament House. The sun was relentless, burning the skin, pushing everyone to walk faster, as if the heat itself was chasing them.

Through the heat, I made my way to the Chinese embassy in Australia, joining my colleagues for a new year media briefing on Jan 28.

It was blazing hot outside, but the moment I stepped inside the embassy, I felt a sense of relief. The conversation unfolded slowly and patiently, with none of the rush you might expect.

A "media briefing" often 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: relations have seen "steady progress".

He said amid growing turbulence and transformation on the international stage, bilateral relations had withstood the test. The China-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has entered its second decade, showing even greater resilience.

In just a few words, he summed up the positive momentum the relationship has built after its full turnaround.

Over the past year, we have also seen more high-level visits and face-to-face engagement between China and Australia.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited China, meeting with leaders. Several high-level dialogues made headway and local exchanges also became more active.

These diplomatic events may seem routine, but they reflect stronger political trust and tangible steps in the relationship's full turnaround.

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 weight.

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

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

Xiao described it as a development that brings strong confidence to global trade. China also remains Australia's largest trading partner, for both imports and exports.

Agricultural products, mineral resources, and healthcare goods — these are not just abstract numbers in an economic report. Rather, they connect directly to jobs, livelihoods, and the everyday expectations of ordinary people.

Last year also marked the 10th anniversary of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, or 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.

'Basically zero tax'

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

He 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 economic ties between China and Australia are far from fully realized. Xiao said that is exactly why both countries have now agreed to review and see what more they can do to further benefit the 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 unease conjured by the heat, somehow, had been softened by the briefing.

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 already happening — something real in the relationship between the two countries.