Rock lobster producers are hopeful the visit by Chinese Premier Li Qiang will result in an end to crippling sanctions on their exports.

Beijing’s second-in-command will visit Australia from Friday to Tuesday, the first trip by a Chinese premier in seven years.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has promised to raise points of contention with Li, including the Chinese military’s dangerous actions towards Australian Defence Force personnel in a number of incidents.

Li will arrive in Adelaide on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday morning will visit Adelaide Zoo, where an announcement is expected on giant pandas Fu Ni and Wang Wang, which have been on loan from China since 2009 under an agreement due to expire later this year.

Li will then meet winemakers and attend a lunch hosted by Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Trade Minister Don Farrell.

On Monday, Li will travel to Canberra for talks with Albanese, before finishing his visit in Perth on Tuesday.

The trip is another step towards stabilisation after relations soured during the Morrison government’s time in office.

Beijing imposed sanctions worth $20 billion on Australian products in 2020 after the former coalition government called for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19.

China has dropped bans on exports since Labor came to office in 2022, with less than $1 billion worth of trade restrictions remaining on rock lobsters and two meatworks.

South Australian lobster fisherman Kyri Toumazos said the industry’s revenue was between 50 to 60 per cent of its pre-pandemic levels because of the sanctions.

“The impact has been catastrophic for us,” he said.

“Businesses have chosen to exit the industry. Exporters have chosen to stop trading. Traditional family businesses have had to make the difficult decision of selling their licences.”

Toumazos said the industry hoped for good news after positive signs and feedback.

He said the Chinese market was the most lucrative for Australian exporters, previously importing most of the lobster produced.

Australian National University associate professor Graeme Smith said the trip itself was a demonstration the Chinese were serious about getting relations back on track.

He also noted Beijing’s appetite for the nation’s resources including critical minerals and said it was likely the trade sanctions would be dropped as a “sweetener” for the visit.

“I don’t see there being a great deal of headway on either side,” he added.

Opposition spokeswoman Claire Chandler said it was critical the visit was used to discuss issues including the detention of Australians such as writer Yang Hengjun, who received a suspended death sentence in February and remains in a Chinese prison.

“If this visit is spent talking about pandas and emphasising a reliance on exports to China, despite the ongoing coercive and aggressive behaviour of the Chinese Government in a number of areas, then that will be a propaganda victory for Beijing,” Chandler said.

– AAP