Australia trade minister to visit China in sign of thaw

Australia’s trade minister will travel to China on Sunday, in a sign that political tensions between the two countries may be easing. [Photo: Courtesy]

MELBOURNE - Australia’s trade minister will travel to China on Sunday, in a sign that political tensions between the two countries may be easing.

Simon Birmingham, the first senior Australian government official to visit China in a year, will attend the China International Import Expo, or CIIE, seen as an attempt by Beijing to allay foreign concern about its trade practices.