Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE starting June 12 2026

Chinese Premier's visit draws to a close at AFL

Chinese premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull watched the Sydney Swans play Port Adelaide at the SCG after a series of trade talks this week.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang puts on a Swans scarf
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang puts on a Sydney Swans scarf alongside Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Source: AAP

As far as international diplomacy goes, two footy scarfs is better than one.

On the eve of his departure from Australia, Chinese premier Li Keqiang took time out from trade talks to watch the Sydney Swans and Port Adelaide Power at the SCG with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

The game was a preview for when the Power meet Gold Coast in May in the first AFL premiership match on Chinese soil.

Keen to get China's second most powerful man in Port Adelaide colours, club chairman David Koch made sure Mr Li had Power paraphernalia draped over him.

Wanting to stay impartial, Mr Li also asked for a red and white scarf.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

"I insisted I get another scarf rooting for the Sydney Swans," Mr Li told the media via an interpreter.

"On this occasion, wearing two scarfs is making me really hot."

The round eight match at Shanghai's Jiangwan Stadium could be played in front of a crowd of up to 15,000.

"I am sure there will be fans of this great sport in China," Mr Li said.

Mr Turnbull said the groundbreaking fixture was proof of the AFL's multicultural footprint.

"There's a bit of scarf competition ... but we're all friends here. Friends of Australia and Australian football," he said.

There was no meat pie, but Mr Li was all smiles as Mr Turnbull explained, via a translator, the intricacies of AFL from high in the grandstand.

He invited Mr Turnbull to China later in the year, promising there'd be no shortage of scarfs to keep the Aussie PM warm.

In the end, the original colours were on the money, with Port Adelaide scoring a drought breaking 28-point upset win over the Swans.


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world