Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will meet China's President Xi Jinping in Brazil on Monday, as Beijing seeks to promote Australia as a model for trading with China in a Trump era, even as Canberra draws closer defence ties with Washington.

Several world leaders at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro seized the opportunity to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who returned to the global stage after skipping last year's gathering in India.

Xi Jinping is pushing Anthony Albanese to fight against protectionism in the wake of Donald Trump’s pledge to impose 60 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports, as the leaders declared China-Australia relations had returned to levels not observed since the 2014 free trade agreement.

China's relationship with Australia has achieved a turnaround and the two countries are maintaining a positive momentum of development, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday,

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met China's President Xi Jinping in Brazil on Monday, as Beijing seeks to promote Australia as a model for trading with China in a Trump era, even as Canberra draws closer defence ties with Washington.

China’s President Xi Jinping claims there have been some “twists and turns” in Australia’s relationship with China over the last decade, reveals Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell.