China and Australia 'mend ties'

China sent Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang to Australia in order to try and put an end to a "sour" relationship between the two nations. Sources of tension between China and Australia have included the arrest in China of an Australian mining executive and the visit to Australia of Uihgur activist leader Rebiya Kadeer. The Australian foreign minister has said "we're back to business as usual". The Global Times, a Chinese state-controlled newspaper, said relations have "gone through some ups and downs this year... but the reality is that bilateral ties between the two countries have already started warming". Australia needs China to continue to purchase its resources, China being Australia's largest trading partner.

-John