Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong who will soon embark on a trip to China, on Tuesday said that she will push China to lift trade sanctions and seek consular access to two Australians detained by Beijing.

Cheng Lei an Australian journalist was detained by Chinese authorities in August 2020 over allegations of "supplying state secrets overseas". &nbsp;while Chinese-born Australian Yang Jun who was detained in January 2019 has been accused of espionage reports AFP.

Watch |&nbsp;Penny Wong to meet China's foreign minister amid soaring tensions in Indo-Pacific

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Urging their release Wong said that it would remove an obstacle that stands before good relations between her nation and China.

"I think that it would be beneficial not just for the individuals, which is I think important in its own right, but it would be beneficial to the relationship for those consular matters to be dealt with," she said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-australia-ink-landmark-security-pact-to-counter-chinas-military-build-up-in-indo-pacific-527555">Japan, Australia ink ‘landmark’ security pact to counter China’s military build-up in Indo-Pacific</a>

Wong is the first Australian Foreign minister to visit China in four years. The upcoming visit marks the first formal talks since 2018 between top diplomats of the two nations.

The last such visit was in 2019. Since then the once excellent relations between China and Australia have nosedived, with them sparring over an array of political and moral issues.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/calmly-and-directly-australia-engages-with-china-in-national-interest-534768">'Calmly and directly': Australia engages with China in 'national interest'</a>

As per AFP, these include Chinese influence operations overseas; widespread rights abuses in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet; and America's role in the Asia-Pacific region etc.

Before departing for her visit, Wong said "Many of the hard issues in the relationship will take time to resolve in our interests," adding that it "will take time, but I do see this visit as another step in the road."

(With inputs from agencies)

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Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong who will soon embark on a trip to China, on Tuesday said that she will push China to lift trade sanctions and seek consular access to two Australians detained by Beijing.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong who will soon embark on a trip to China, on Tuesday said that she will push China to lift trade sanctions and seek consular access to two Australians detained by Beijing. Cheng Lei an Australian journalist was detained by Chinese authorities in August 2020 over allegations of "supplying state secrets overseas". while Chinese-born Australian Yang Jun who was detained in January 2019 has been accused of espionage reports AFP. Watch | Penny Wong to meet China's foreign minister amid soaring tensions in Indo-Pacific Urging their release Wong said that it would remove an obstacle that stands before good relations between her nation and China. "I think that it would be beneficial not just for the individuals, which is I think important in its own right, but it would be beneficial to the relationship for those consular matters to be dealt with," she said. Also read | Japan, Australia ink ‘landmark’ security pact to counter China’s military build-up in Indo-Pacific Wong is the first Australian Foreign minister to visit China in four years. The upcoming visit marks the first formal talks since 2018 between top diplomats of the two nations. The last such visit was in 2019. Since then the once excellent relations between China and Australia have nosedived, with them sparring over an array of political and moral issues. Also read | 'Calmly and directly': Australia engages with China in 'national interest' As per AFP, these include Chinese influence operations overseas; widespread rights abuses in Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Tibet; and America's role in the Asia-Pacific region etc. Before departing for her visit, Wong said "Many of the hard issues in the relationship will take time to resolve in our interests," adding that it "will take time, but I do see this visit as another step in the road." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Australia urges Beijing to release its citizens as Foreign Minister Wong heads to China

China's newly appointed ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian faced heckling as he gave a speech at a local university in Sydney. Qian, who took up the role in January was speaking about the future of frosty relations between China and Australia when multiple protestors interrupted him.&nbsp;The protestors wielded signs demanding freedom for Tibet and Hong Kong, while others criticised China's treatment of the Uyghur people as well as the university for inviting a "representative of a genocidal dictatorship."

Faced with the heckling the ambassador said: "People who are coming again and again to interrupt the process, that's not expression of freedom of speech... this should not be welcomed." &nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;China to review every single comment on social media

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The university "welcomes freedom of speech on campus... that right, however, does not extend to speaking over the top of invited guests," said James Laurenson, head of the Australia-China Relations Institute, which had invited Xiao to the campus.

A placard that read "Free Tibet, Free East Turkestan" was snatched from the hands of one of the protesters. Another protestor was escorted out by security while yelling "The University of Technology cannot platform a representative of a genocidal dictatorship."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-china-defence-ministers-meet-for-first-time-in-3-years-487445">Australia, China defence ministers meet for first time in 3 years</a>

Since Canberra cracked down on foreign involvement and demanded a probe into the causes of COVID-19, and Beijing retaliated with broad economic restrictions, China and Australia have been at odds.

Attempts to placate are being made, however. The first ministerial meeting between the two countries in three years took place in recent weeks when Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles met with his Chinese counterpart outside of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

In his speech, Xiao asserted that the centre-left Labor party's victory in Australia's May elections had given the two nations' ties an "opportunity of possible improvement."

(With inputs from agencies)

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China's newly appointed ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian faced heckling as he gave a speech at a local university in Sydney. Qian, who took up the role in January was speaking about the future of frosty relations between China and Australia when multiple protestors interrupted him.

China's newly appointed ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian faced heckling as he gave a speech at a local university in Sydney. Qian, who took up the role in January was speaking about the future of frosty relations between China and Australia when multiple protestors interrupted him. The protestors wielded signs demanding freedom for Tibet and Hong Kong, while others criticised China's treatment of the Uyghur people as well as the university for inviting a "representative of a genocidal dictatorship." Faced with the heckling the ambassador said: "People who are coming again and again to interrupt the process, that's not expression of freedom of speech... this should not be welcomed." Watch | China to review every single comment on social media The university "welcomes freedom of speech on campus... that right, however, does not extend to speaking over the top of invited guests," said James Laurenson, head of the Australia-China Relations Institute, which had invited Xiao to the campus. A placard that read "Free Tibet, Free East Turkestan" was snatched from the hands of one of the protesters. Another protestor was escorted out by security while yelling "The University of Technology cannot platform a representative of a genocidal dictatorship." Also read | Australia, China defence ministers meet for first time in 3 years Since Canberra cracked down on foreign involvement and demanded a probe into the causes of COVID-19, and Beijing retaliated with broad economic restrictions, China and Australia have been at odds. Attempts to placate are being made, however. The first ministerial meeting between the two countries in three years took place in recent weeks when Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles met with his Chinese counterpart outside of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. In his speech, Xiao asserted that the centre-left Labor party's victory in Australia's May elections had given the two nations' ties an "opportunity of possible improvement." (With inputs from agencies) Watch WION LIVE HERE: You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

China's ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian heckled, called 'representative of a genocidal dictatorship'

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Australia urges Beijing to release its citizens as Foreign Minister Wong heads to China

China's ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian heckled, called 'representative of a genocidal dictatorship'