TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to SBS News in Easy English. I'm Sam Dover.
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In a rare press conference, China's ambassador to Australia has described 2023 as a year of positive development in the Chinese-Australian relationship.
Ambassador Xiao Qian has used previous addresses to encourage co-operation and announce the easing of trade barriers.
Chinese trade restrictions remain in place on Australian wine, beef and lobster, with a review of wine tariffs by China set to conclude in March.
Ambassador Xiao says Australian and Chinese leaders have improved the countries' relationship, referencing a meeting between Anthony Albanese and Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Indonesia in September and the Prime Minister's visit to China in November.
"I think compared with the year before last - 2022 - which I termed as the year of stabilisation, I have been terming 2023 as the year of exchange, improvement and dialogue for China-Austrlaian relationships. And with the joint efforts from both sides we have embarked on the right path of improving and developing our bilateral ties."
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The debate around the date for Australia Day continues as various local councils around the country move to change the date of the national celebration.
The Perth suburb of Rockingham in WA is one of those councils which have decided to change the date to January 27, moving away from January 26, which has sparked controversy for many as a day that marks massacres, death and loss of land and culture for many Indigenous Australians.
NITV spoke to members of the public in Rockingham who expressed mixed feelings towards the council's decision to change the date.
"I don't think there should be Australia Day at all. The land was already taken so to speak, when they say Cook came and that's the day Australia Day on the 26th. Well it was already taken, our people were already on it, the Nunga people, and I'm a big believer that there should be no Australia Day at all."
"I personally don't really mind, and I know a lot of my friends and I traditionally like to celebrate that it's a public holiday."
"I don't agree, I think it should be the 26th. We came to Australia about 50 years ago and that's all we know."
In 2023, the Victorian government also axed its Australia Day parade, opting instead for a flag-raising ceremony and gun salute at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne.
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And in cricket,
Australia have won the toss and will bowl against West Indies in the first Test in Adelaide.
Captain Pat Cummins took the rare option of fielding first due to cloudy conditions following extra grass from overnight rain on the Adelaide pitch.
West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite was unconcerned, saying he would have chosen to bat if he had called the toss correctly.
No further rain is forecast in Adelaide for the duration of the opening fixture of the two-Test series.
The next match will be played in Brisbane from January 25.
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I'm Sam Dover. This is SBS News in Easy English.
