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A bipartisan group of Australian parliamentarians is preparing to visit Taiwan next month, in another sign both major parties remain determined to resist China's demand they cut off political contact with Taipei.
Key points:
- Under its one China policy, the Australian government does not recognise Taiwan as a sovereign country, but maintains informal political connections
- The trip by the Australian delegation will be closely monitored by China
- The visit to Taiwan comes as Australian officials engage in delicate negotiations with their Chinese counterparts over a series of high-level meetings
Last year, six Australian MPs visited Taiwan and met President Tsai Ing Wen and other top officials, ending a three-year pause on visits by Australian parliamentary delegations triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, Taipei is organising a larger visiting delegation of 10 Australian MPs, who are set to arrive in Taiwan late next month.
The ABC has been told that this year's cohort will include Labor MPs Josh Wilson, David Smith and Graham Perrett, as well as Shadow Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Claire Chandler.
The delegation will be closely monitored by China, which claims self-governed Taiwan as its own territory, and which has intensified efforts to politically isolate the government of Ms Tsai ahead of elections early next year.
Under its one China policy, the Australian government does not recognise Taiwan as a sovereign country, but maintains informal political connections — as well as deep trade ties — with the 23-million-strong democracy.
Senator Chandler told the ABC the delegation's visit was simply a "continuation" of parliamentary visits stretching back years.
"Australian parliamentary delegations have been visiting Taiwan for many years, just as Australian delegations visit many other destinations regularly," she said.
"Taiwan is one of our largest destinations for Australian exports and there is a long history of Australian MPs and senators visiting, so there is nothing unusual or out of the ordinary about this cross-party delegation."
But the trip will still be politically sensitive in Canberra.
Cross-strait tensions have soared in recent years as China has escalated its threats against Taiwan, and Beijing has responded to high-level political contact between Taipei and Washington by ratcheting up military drills around the island.
Mr Wilson, Mr Perrett and Mr Smith all confirmed they would travel to Taiwan but declined to comment on the visit when approached by the ABC.
Another parliamentarian involved with organising the trip said it was "crucial" for liberal democracies such as Australia to continue sending unofficial political delegations to Taiwan to demonstrate support.
Taiwan visit likely to focus on trade
Chinese state media lashed Australia when it resumed parliamentary delegation visits last year, and the parliamentarians said they expected Beijing would do the same in response to this trip.
But they played down the chances of it seriously disrupting Australia's attempts to stabilise ties with Beijing.
The MPs are preparing for the visit as Australian officials engage in delicate negotiations with their Chinese counterparts over a series of high-level meetings, including a planned visit to Australia by China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and a possible visit to China by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese later in the year.
Negotiations over trade are also delicately poised.
Earlier this month, China agreed to abolish crippling tariffs on Australian barley, and the federal government hopes to use that template to resolve another trade dispute over tariffs on Australian wine.
In a statement, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Canberra said parliamentary exchanges were a "common practice among democracies" and it would "welcome Australian parliamentarians from all political parties to visit Taiwan".
The office said Taiwan and Australia "enjoy shared values of democracy, freedom, and respect of human rights", were "committed to the peace and security in a rules-based Indo-Pacific region" and had established vital trade ties.
"This mutually beneficial trade relationship could further serve as a springboard on our path of moving towards a more resilient economy and supply chains. We look forward to further cooperation through extensive engagements between Taiwan and Australia, including visits among parliamentarians," the office said.
A senior lecturer in Chinese studies at the University of Tasmania, Mark Harrison, said while Australian parliamentary delegations had travelled to Taiwan previously, this trip could signal a more regular tempo of visits.
"I think this delegation could be seen as Australia moving more into line with countries, especially in Europe, in being willing to engage with Taiwan," he said.
"Taiwan was one of Australia's largest goods export markets in 2022, so this form of contact is a legitimate and necessary expression of the value of the bilateral relationship."
The delegation's visit to Taiwan is likely to be dominated by trade issues, and Taiwan officials are expected to press the MPs to convince the Albanese government to back its bid to join the CP-TPP trade bloc.
Taiwan has also been exasperated by Australia's reticence to press on with negotiations over a bilateral free trade pact.
But Professor Harrison said next January's elections would inject a note of uncertainty.
"The presidential election campaign in Taiwan is in full swing now, so Taipei will be realistic about concrete outcomes for the visit with the potential for a change of government next year," he told the ABC.
"The Taiwanese are keen for Australia to support its CP-TPP membership and improve trade relations, but their key priority is international space, and these delegations are important mechanisms for Taiwan to support its interests in the international system."
Last year, former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce suggested it would be "smart" for Australian officials to accompany informal Australian parliamentary delegations to Taiwan in the future, to ensure they do not commit any diplomatic blunders.
Delegation not official government visit
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has not said exactly what support it will offer to the delegation.
In a statement the department said Australia "values its deep and productive unofficial relationship with Taiwan, focused on trade and investment, cultural and people to people ties".
Professor Harrison said DFAT took a "hands-off" approach to parliamentary delegations to Taiwan as a matter of policy, while Taiwan's diplomats also face constraints in Canberra due to the lack of formal diplomatic recognition.
"These limits make developing an understanding of Taiwan and building Taiwan policy capacity very difficult in Australia," he said.
While in opposition, Mr Albanese took part in a 2018 parliamentary delegation visiting Taiwan.
But Mr Albanese has repeatedly stressed the delegations are not official government visits, and that Australia's one China policy has not changed.
A spokesperson from China's embassy in Canberra told the ABC that matters related to Taiwan are "at the core of China's core interest".
"Taiwan is an inseparable part of China's territory. China's position on the Taiwan issue is consistent and clear," the spokesperson said.
"China-Australia relations are in a critical period of stabilisation and improvement.
"China hopes that the Australian side will abide by the commitments made by successive governments to the one China principle … so as to avoid unnecessary interference in and damage to China-Australia relations."