‘Considerable strain’: how Australian officials saw the China rift

Officials kept in regular contact' with Chinese embassy even as Morrison government ministers frozen out, FoI documents shows

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Australian officials stayed in regular contact" with the Chinese embassy in Canberra to explain our decisions" even when Australian ministers were subjected to a two-year diplomatic freeze, newly released documents show.

The former Morrison government had been willing to engage with China in dialogue at any time", according to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade briefing notes, which also described the relationship as being under considerable strain".