China Australia photo: VCG
Australian mining and metals multinational BHP Group on Monday announced cooperation with Chinese leading battery manufacturers Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) and BYD to accelerate its electrification of mining operations, as China and Australia eye strengthened cooperation during Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's ongoing visit to China.Melbourne-based BHP said it has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with CATL and FinDreams Battery Co, a fully owned subsidiary of BYD Group, to collaborate on battery development for mining equipment and locomotives including rapid charging infrastructure, as well as energy storage and battery recycling, according to two separate press releases on its website.
The moves come as Albanese is on an official visit to China. According to the Australian Financial Review, top executives from BHP, Rio Tinto, Fortescue and Hancock Prospecting are among scores of business delegates travelling with Albanese.
Speaking before a meeting between Australian iron ore miners and Chinese steelmakers in Shanghai on Monday, Albanese framed green steel as a way to grow Australia and China's decades-long trade relationship, Reuters reported.
"Achieving the goal of the Paris Agreement would require the decarbonization of steel value chains, presenting an opportunity for Australia and China to progress our long-term economic interests," he was quoted as saying.
"Rio Tinto is working closely with our Chinese customers to support the development of low-carbon steelmaking technologies, leveraging Australia's high-quality iron ore and China's manufacturing expertise to drive real progress on emissions reduction," Kellie Parker, Rio Tinto Australia chief executive, told the Global Times on Monday.
"This visit is a valuable opportunity to deepen collaboration between suppliers and steelmakers. We welcome the opportunity to participate in these discussions alongside the Prime Minister," Parker said.
China has been taking concrete steps toward its commitment to peak carbon emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. Over the years, the country has made remarkable progress in clean energy development, emerging as a global leader driving both domestic decarbonization and international sustainable development.
China and Australia have sound cooperation in traditional energy fields such as natural gas and coal, and green energy is an emerging field that has enormous room for cooperation, Ning Tuanhui, an associate research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Monday.
"Australia has abundant deposits of minerals including lithium, cobalt and rare earths, while China has technological advantages and rapid development in the new-energy industry. Given their complementarity, strengthened green energy cooperation is beneficial to both sides," Ning said, noting that China is a critical partner for Australia to boost energy transition and address climate challenges.
In addition to energy, Albanese also reportedly highlighted tourism and sporting ties with China during his visit - his second official visit to China but the first since his re-election in May. On Sunday in Shanghai, Albanese visited the headquarters of Chinese online travel platform Trip.com and witnessed the signing of an agreement between Tourism Australia and Trip.com, according to information the platform sent to the Global Times on Monday.
Video footage posted by ABC News also showed that on Sunday, Albanese took part in a morning workout at the iconic Shanghai Bund, accompanied by Shanghai Port FC's Australian coach Kevin Muscat, team captain Wang Shenchao and others. He was presented with a special commemorative jersey.
Amid increasingly stabilizing and improving ties between China and Australia over the past three years under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, Albanese's visit to China marks a pivotal step in further advancing bilateral economic and trade relations, Song Wei, a professor at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Monday.
China has been Australia's largest trading partner, export destination and source of imports for 16 consecutive years. The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, which came into effect in 2015, has significantly boosted trade, with total trade surpassing $210 billion in 2024, according to an article by Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian published by the People's Daily on Sunday.
Strengthening dialogue, expanding the scope of economic cooperation and increasing people-to-people exchanges will bring more tangible benefits to bilateral cooperation, Song said.
"Given the complex and volatile geopolitical landscape, frequent high-level exchanges like this visit are needed to build mutual trust and strengthen the resilience of bilateral relations," Ning said.
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