China’s next Ambassador to Australia is expected to be a ‘wolf warrior’ diplomat as Xiao Qian exits Canberra

Beijing is widely tipped to revert to so-called “wolf warrior” diplomacy with Australia by soon dispatching a more assertive ambassador to Canberra to manage the increasingly tense strategic relationship between both nations.

Current Ambassador Xiao Qian, who has served in Australia for more than four years, will be formally farewelled later this month by other members of Canberra’s diplomatic corps during an event to be held at the Chinese embassy.

Since arriving in early 2022, Ambassador Xiao has overseen a stabilisation of relations between Australia and China which hit rock bottom when Beijing imposed crippling trade sanctions against the Morrison government during the COVID pandemic.

Numerous diplomatic figures have told The Nightly they are now expecting veteran Chinese Foreign Ministry official Liu Jinsong to soon be announced as his replacement, but the appointment has not been officially confirmed by Beijing.

Within five months of his arrival to Canberra as China’s ambassador, Anthony Albanese defeated Scott Morrison to become Prime Minister after vowing to restore relations with Australia’s largest trading partner.

Soon after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong for the first ministerial level engagement between both two countries since relations sourced over the Morrison government’s call for a COVID inquiry in 2020.

By late 2024, China had officially ended all trade sanctions imposed by President Xi Jinping’s administration when restrictions on Australian exports of rock lobsters and beef were finally lifted.

Over recent weeks however tensions between China and Australia have resumed, particularly after the People’s Liberation Army-Navy fired a nuclear-capable missile into the Pacific Ocean earlier this month.

In early July Ambassador Xiao also launched a furious attack on ASIO and other Western intelligence agencies, accusing them of fabricating spying claims against his nation while denying that Beijing engages in foreign interference.

Last weekend diplomatic tensions over China’s growing strategic reach were again ignited, this time by the 10-year anniversary of an international legal ruling against Beijing’s territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Another recent test to emerge in the fickle and fractious relationship between the Albanese government and the rising superpower is a proposal by Taiwan to establish a new unofficial consular presence in Western Australia.

Earlier this month The Nightly revealed that China’s embassy in Canberra had launched a strong protest with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to oppose the additional “Taipei Economic and Cultural Office” in Perth.

Ambassador Xiao’s widely tipped replacement Liu Jinsong currently serves as the head of the foreign ministry’s department for Asian affairs and was previously posted to Thailand, Japan and the United Kingdom.

Last November a video released by Chinese state media, which spread quickly online, showed the senior diplomat glaring down at his Japanese counterpart, further inflaming tensions between Beijing and Tokyo.

Japanese media reports have also credited Mr Liu with being instrumental in defusing tensions between Beijing and Tokyo after a heated disagreement over remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi about Taiwan in December last year.

National security figures have over recent weeks also privately speculated that relations with China are heading in the direction of the lows experienced during the Morrison government, saying they believe “wolf warrior diplomacy” is returning.

In keeping with recent practice, China’s embassy in Canberra declined to comment on Ambassador Xiao’s departure, and his likely replacement, when contacted by The Nightly.

While China prepares to replace its ambassador to Canberra, the United States is yet to fill its top diplomatic post in Australia since the departure of former envoy Caroline Kennedy who departed shortly after Donald Trump’s election win in 2024.

In April President Trump nominated conservative Republican David Brat as the next ambassador to Australia, but his confirmation for the diplomatic posting has not yet been completed.