Australian and Chinese leaders meet in Beijing while their countries try to mend ties

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the first visit by an Australian leader to China in seven years. Albanese struck an optimistic tone ahead of Monday's meeting, calling for cooperation while emphasizing that the two countries will continue to have differences. He said: “What I’ve said is that we need to co-operate with China where we can, disagree where we must and engage in our national interest." China and Australia’s relations nosedived in recent years as suspicions of Chinese interference in Australian politics increased. China, in turn, was angered by Australia’s call for an inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 virus.