Minister-Counsellor of the Australian Embassy in China Visits Grandview Institution

On August 20, Mark Sawers, Minister-Counsellor of the Australian Embassy in China, led a delegation to visit the Grandview Institution. The two sides exchanged views on key international issues, including China–Australia relations, China–U.S.–Europe relations, and international peace mediation.

Over the years, Grandview Institution has maintained multifaceted exchanges and cooperation with Australia. As early as 2018, during the sub-forum on the maritime economy in the Global Ocean Governance Dialogue Series organized by Grandview, discussions included potential cooperation between China and Australia in the blue economy. In December 2023, on the 51st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia, multiple officials from the Australian Embassy in China visited Grandview to exchange views with experts on China–Australia and China–U.S. relations. In September 2024, officials from the Australian Department of Defence also visited Grandview to discuss the South China Sea and climate change issues.

Minister-Counsellor Mark Sawers highly commended the International Experience and China’s Role—First International Peace Mediation Forum and International Mediation Training, co-organized by Grandview and the CMI–Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation of Finland in early June. He expressed strong interest in one of the forum’s outcomes, the research report Understanding and Reflections on International Peace Mediation. During the exchange, Ren Libo, President of Grandview, shared his views on the prospects for China–Australia relations, as well as key opportunities and focus areas for cooperation under China’s current foreign policy adjustments and the international context. Regarding international peace mediation, both sides emphasized the importance of strengthening consensus on principles and sharing case studies to expand the scope of China–Australia cooperation.

Also participating in the visit were Oliver Mendoza, First Secretary of the Australian Embassy in China, and relevant officials from Grandview’s Department of External Cooperation.