Beijing’s envoy says Australia’s resistance to AI collaboration ‘great pity’, warns of missed opportunity

Beijing’s envoy to Canberra has described Australia’s resistance to collaborating on artificial intelligence as a “great pity” and warned “to turn away from China, is to turn away from opportunities”.

Xiao Qian says China stands ready to work with Australia as it accelerates AI, quantum technology, biomanufacturing and green energy, and urged Canberra to partner in an “strategic alignment”.

The Chinese Ambassador to Australia’s comments come after Beijing sought unsuccessfully to expand the two nation’s Free Trade Agreement in 2025 to include AI and digital technology, promising the move would boost productivity.

He noted there had been a “cautious attitude” in Australia and questioned why the “door is completely closed?”.

“To embrace China is to embrace the future. To turn away from China is to turn away from opportunities,” Mr Qian said on Wednesday.

“It’s a great pity that is the situation. My view is we should cooperate between China and Australia because we are so highly complementary.

“Given the cautious attitude of the Australian Government on science and technology cooperation with China, they are not yet open to engage with China substantively.

“For now, the door is completely stopped, closed. It’s not open yet, I hope it will open.

“We should not miss the train of AI. It’s started. It’s started running fast.”

Mr Qian said China would be willing to discuss and consider any reservations Australian had and work at a pace the nation was comfortable with.

“Of course, we will collaborate in a way that is comfortable to both sides. We can talk about the level that we can cooperate on and the extent to which we can move our cooperation,” he said.

“I think there’s great room space. There’s a lot we can do. We can cooperate a lot of areas regarding the AI - research joint ventures or commercialisation of AI products.”

Mr Qian said in his four years as ambassador to Australia, technology and defence were the two friction points between the nations.

The top diplomat said while he understood Australia’s alliance with the United States, he believed it was “important” China and Australia collaborate in “all the possible areas, at all the possible levels”.

“(Australia) are allies of the Americans. So, when talking about military and defence, they have to follow American and to stand with Americans.

“But I think it’s important that we engage with each other.”

Mr Qian described the free trade agreement between the nations, which marked its 10th anniversary last year, as “mutually beneficial” but insisted there was more to explore and proposed a “China-Australia FTA version two”.

“We have not yet completely explored the full potential in our trade relationship,” he said.

“While we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the FTA, both sides agree to review and see what more we can do to further benefit our bilateral trade relationship.”