TRANSCRIPT
Two new pandas are set to travel to Adelaide Zoo in a diplomatic gifting practice thought to date back centuries.
During his visit to Adelaide, Chinese Premier Li Qiang has announced that the zoo's resident pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni are returning to China in November.
After their departure, two new pandas will take their place in part of a diplomatic exchange known as "panda diplomacy".
Executive Director of Zoos South Australia Elaine Bensted says the pandas are a major attraction for interstate visitors.
"Certainly the first year after Fu Ni and Wang Wang arrived to visitation at Adelaide Zoo increased nearly 150,000 people in that first year. And as I said 15 years later they remain incredibly popular. We ran a meet and greet where people can have a special experience with the pandas and the panda carers that still very popular is one of our most popular experiences."
Panda diplomacy refers to when China gifts or loans giant pandas to countries as a diplomatic tool.
During the 1950's Chairman Mao Zhedong was known to send pandas to communist allies like North Korea and the Soviet Union.
During the 1970's China gifted pandas to the United States in a time when the two countries were normalising relations.
Then, by the 1980's China changed their policy around panda diplomacy, instead opting to loan out the animals in a move believed to promote trust between China and it's diplomatic partners.
And while some are excited about the arrival of pandas and the strengthening of Australia's relationship with China.
"As a Chinese people like as a Chinese citizen. I hope that it will come build a good relationship with each other and then we can just promote the economy and.. Oh the pandas we're so excited today if we can see them. Yeah, and we hope that we can keep the pandas or just grab another panda. And then in this case can we see that the panda growing up here in Adelaide, like your, you know, childhood."
Others, like former Hong Kong lawmaker Ted Hui, say the gift should not prevent Australia from confronting Premier Li about human rights abuses in China.
"I'm here protesting because the Chinese Premiers here. We want him to listen to our human rights accusations because in China, especially where I'm from in Hong Kong, We've been put to jails. All of my former parliamentarian colleagues and advocates, dissidents are put to jails just for the peaceful pursuit for human rights and democracy. This is not right. And I'm we're here so that the Australian government can listen to us as they are shaking hands with the Chinese Premier, the Chinese dictator, he should be reminded of all these human rights abuses in Hong Kong and raise it in front of the Chinese Premier, that's our pursuit."
Ted Hui was among a group of protesters outside Adelaide Zoo for Premier Li's visit.
The pro-democracy and pro-human rights advocates say panda diplomacy is a smokescreen, used to distract Australian politicians and the public from the Chinese governments human rights violations.
Many of them fear that China's abuses will be overlooked during the visit.
"Today we are at Adelaide Zoo to to protest against the panda policy because China using panda diplomacy, to hide all the human rights atrocities happening to your Uyghur people, happening to Tibet people, happening to Hong Kong people. So definitely that is wrong if all the Australian people follow this policy and put trade and other relationship on top of human rights."
Premier Li is second only to President Xi Jinping in the Chinese Communist Party and his visit is the first from such a high level member of the party in seven years.
After a period of hostile relations between the two countries Beijing has gradually dropped bans on exports, with less than $1 billion worth of trade restrictions now remaining on rock lobsters and two meatworks.
With trade relations at the heart of the visit, the government is keen to keep Australia's relationship with China on a steady track.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the visit is critical for Australia's economy.
"We are very pleased to have been able to stabilise this relationship and to see billions of dollars of trade restrictions eased as a consequence of that effort. This relationship has no shortage of complexities, no shortage of challenges, but it's a really, really important relationship for Australia. The Albanese Labor government believes you get more for Australia and its people and its economy when you engage meaningfully."
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has told Sky News he would like to raise concerns about military and trade during the visit.
"It's obviously a broad and complex relationship. The focus will be on how we can increase our trading arrangements. But as I say, to be good friends you need to have an honest relationship where there are concerns and there will be concerns the Chinese will have that they will want to raise with us as well."
But people like Ted Hui say Australia needs to have a tougher approach on China.
"I totally believe that sanctions against human rights abuses in China should be done by the Australian Government. And this is something that we are asking Penny Wong and Albanese to do. And this is something that can be done without harming Australia's economy. So I believe that this is very important to our cause."
