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Chinese Premier Li to fulfill magnate in mineral-rich Western Australia

Chinese Premier Li Qiang will fulfill business leaders and lawmakers in Western Australia on Tuesday, and is anticipated to check out a lithium processing plant in the resourcerich state on the last day of his fourday check out to Australia.

Li, China's top-ranked authorities after President Xi Jinping, will attend an organization roundtable event in Perth in addition to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and leaders of significant Australian companies.

Li's check out is the very first to Australia by a Chinese premier in seven years and marks a stabilisation in ties between the U.S. security ally and the world's second-biggest economy.

Relations are on the fix after a series of spats over the origins of COVID-19, Chinese blocks on $20 billion in Australian exports and friction over encounters in between the countries' defence forces.

Li is arranged to check out a lithium hydroxide processing plant of Tianqi Lithium Energy Australia, which is 51% owned by Shenzhen-and Hong Kong-listed Tianqi Lithium and 49%. by Australian miner IGO, Australian media reported.

Western Australia provides over half of the world's. seaborne iron ore, with China among its top clients, and half. of its lithium. China has been an investor in Australian mining. projects though some recent financial investment in important minerals has. been obstructed by Australia on nationwide interest grounds.

Li had gone to a South Australian winery and Adelaide Zoo. during his tour, where he revealed Beijing would offer 2. new pandas after the existing set go home later this year,. before travelling to Canberra.

After meeting Li on Monday, Albanese said Canberra and. Beijing will take steps to improve military communication to. avoid events.

Last month, a Chinese airforce jet dropped flares near an. Australian defence helicopter in international airspace over the. Yellow Sea, which Australia stated was a dangerous encounter. It. was the 2nd defence occurrence in 6 months.

Albanese stated he had raised issues in the Pacific, a. referral to Canberra's concern over Beijing's growing security. aspirations in close-by Pacific Islands, along with the case of. China-born Australian writer Yang Hengjun, who was handed a. suspended death sentence by a Beijing court.

(source: Reuters)