SYDNEY: Chinese ambassador Liu Jinsong (pic) said he had taken a public bus in Australia and spoken with "ordinary" people on his way to his new posting in the capital Canberra.
Liu arrived in Australia on Monday (Aug 24), saying in a statement on the embassy website that he felt "both honoured and deeply conscious of the responsibility".
He said he had taken the bus from Sydney to Canberra, where he had chatted "with ordinary Australians on board, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience".
Relations between Beijing and Canberra reached a low point under former prime minister Scott Morrison, as China slapped import bans and restrictions on Australian commodities including coal, barley and wine.
Several Australian moves had angered China, including legislation against overseas influence operations, barring tech giant Huawei from 5G contracts and calling for an independent investigation into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ties have seen a marked improvement under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who has visited Beijing twice since taking office in 2022.
But sources of tensions remain. Last month, Australia condemned China's test of a nuclear-capable missile in the South Pacific, calling the launch "destabilising".
China remains the biggest customer for Australia's iron ore, but Canberra has upped scrutiny of Chinese investment in the rare earths sector.
Liu on Monday said "both sides should respect each other's core interests and major concerns".
"Our two countries have no historical grievances, no fundamental conflict of interests, highly complementary economies and mutually enriching cultures".
Liu replaces Xiao Qian, an outspoken diplomat who often drew headlines in Australia for sometimes-fiery rhetoric defending the party line.
Liu previously served as head of the foreign ministry's Department of Asian Affairs, during which he held high-profile negotiations with Japanese officials as a diplomatic row erupted over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan. - AFP
