Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will pay an official visit to China from 12 to 18 July, his office and Beijing’s foreign ministry confirmed on Tuesday. The six-day trip will take him to Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu, where he is expected to meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. Beijing has signalled it will use the visit to press for a review of the 10-year-old China–Australia Free Trade Agreement, aiming to broaden cooperation in agriculture and mining and add new chapters covering artificial intelligence, green energy and the digital economy. Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian said the pact should be revisited with “a more open attitude and higher standard,” while Albanese told reporters Canberra will decide its position after consultations. The journey will be Albanese’s second to China since taking office; his first in 2023 ended a seven-year diplomatic freeze. Relations have warmed further after China removed its final trade sanctions on Australian goods, lifting a ban on rock lobster in December. The forthcoming talks come as Australia balances its security alliance with the United States against efforts to stabilise ties with its largest trading partner.