Dan Andrews bans reporters from latest China trip

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• By Avi Yemini

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Victoria's Premier Daniel Andrews is set to become the first Australian politician to visit China since the signing of the AUKUS defence deal, but the media won't be tagging along.

The four-day trip is said to be aimed at discussing the return of Chinese students to the state and "forging strong relationships" within the provinces of Jiangsu and Sichuan.

However, the trip has been criticised by the Victorian opposition for a lack of transparency, with calls for more information about who Andrews will be meeting and the benefits to Victorians.

Caulfield Liberal MP David Southwick said it was important for Andrews to be transparent.

Andrews has said that the trip is an opportunity to show that Melbourne and Victoria are open for business with the Chinese economy and community, which is vital for the state's future.

He made it clear that the visit is not about signing deals, but about having a series of back-to-back meetings to ensure as many students as possible are welcomed to Melbourne.

Andrews last visited China in 2019, when he signed the state up to the Belt and Road initiative, which led to new laws by the Morrison government to cancel deals between states and foreign powers.

Although media will not be present on the trip, Andrews believes that the visit is important to send a clear message that the partnership is valued.