Premier Li Qiang’s motorcade pulled into Parliament House on Monday as protesters’ chants reverberated during the ceremonial 19-gun salute.

Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton welcomed China’s second-in-command at the forecourt with handshakes and smiles before standing together for a marching band rendition of China’s national anthem.

Albanese will hold an annual leaders’ meeting in Canberra with the premier before inviting him to a state lunch with politicians, business representatives and community leaders.

Li’s visit is the first by a Chinese premier to Australia in seven turbulent years for the trading partners, amid trade restrictions, tender bans and recent military flare-ups in international waters.

He landed in Adelaide on Saturday and on Sunday confirmed that new pandas would be sent to replace a pair which arrived in 2009 but had failed to breed.

“(Wang Wang and Fu Ni) will return to China before the end of the year,” he said.

“But what I want to tell you is that we will provide a new pair of beautiful, lovely and adorable pandas as soon as possible.”

China’s Premier Li Qiang at Adelaide Zoo’s panda enclosure with SA Premier Peter Malinauskas, zoo director Dr Phil Ainsley and Governor Frances Adamson (far left). Photo: ABC

Zoo director Dr Phil Ainsley was thrilled at the announcement.

“This is a collaborative partnership that we’ve been working with China on the giant panda for over 15 years,” he said.

“So we’re very, very excited to see this to be able to continue.”

Ainsley said the giant panda’s conservation status had improved from “endangered” to “vulnerable” over the duration of the international breeding program.

“That’s something which we’re very proud of,” he said.

After visiting Adelaide Zoo, Li went to Penfolds’ Magill Estate restaurant for lunch. Also attending were Governor Frances Adamson, Premier Peter Malinauskas, Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Trade Minister Don Farrell.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong, China’s Premier Li Qiang, Governor Frances Adamson, SA Premier Peter Malinauskas and Agriculture Minister Murray Watt at Magill Estate on Sunday. Photo: ABC

Pro-Communist Party supporters and pro-democracy and human rights protesters gathered outside the zoo during the visit.

Ted Hui, an Australian lawyer from Hong Kong, said panda diplomacy shouldn’t distract from China’s human rights record.

“While pandas are undeniably adorable and a symbol of wildlife conservation, we cannot let their presence distract us from the serious issues at hand,” Hui said in a statement.

Ramila Chanisheff, President of the Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women’s Association, said the use of panda diplomacy was a smokescreen to divert attention from China’ human rights violations, particularly against the Uyghur people.

“We must not be blinded by their propaganda,” Chanisheff said.

Protesters outside Adelaide Zoo during Premier Li Qiang’s visit. Photo: ABC

Wong said on Sunday that the government would press Australian interests forcefully, after she was asked if she would raise the case of Australian writer Yang Hengjun, who languishes ill in a Chinese jail.

The remaining trade bans are expected to be lifted within weeks but exporters could well ask if they might face them again.

A trip to Australia’s resource powerhouse Western Australia will make up the latter part of the visit, which is taking place with some clouds hanging over the two countries’ broader relationship even as many trade restrictions have been removed.

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