China's ambassador to Australia is set to make his first public remarks of the new year in a rare press conference that has been met with optimism and scepticism.
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Ambassador Xiao Qian has used previous addresses to spruik increased co-operation and announce easing trade barriers.
But Australian Strategic Policy Institute analyst Malcolm Davis has branded the public appearance, to talk up the bilateral relationship, a ruse.
"I'm extremely dubious," he told AAP.
"I think it's a front, if you look at the ambassador's statement before the (Taiwan) election, he basically threatened Australia.
"Deep down nothing has changed with the Chinese, what they want to do is essentially put us in a state where we are prepared to engage with them but we give concessions away in the process."
Mr Xiao used an opinion piece published before the election to warn Canberra from conducting any official contact with Taiwan to avoid sending "any wrong signal to 'Taiwan-independence' separatist forces".
"That to me is a very wolf warrior language, it's very much a threat," Mr Davis said.
"He may come over very friendly but you have to look beyond that to China's strategic ambitions in Taiwan and the South China Sea.
"We need to be very cautious about that."
Beijing has not ruled out re-integrating Taiwan by force in the face of democratic nations warning against a unilateral change to the status quo.
The ambassador could either be announcing the scaling back of trade barriers in a sign of goodwill for the relationship or use the press conference to issue a strong rebuke to Taiwan re-electing the pro-democracy party, China expert Ben Herscovitch said.
Chinese trade restrictions remain in place on Australian wine, beef and lobster.
A review of wine tariffs by China is set to conclude in March, with any early announcement unlikely with it being more probable Beijing would let it run its course to save face and give credence to the process, Mr Herscovitch said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it was expected the wine sanctions would soon come to an end.
"It will make such a difference," he told Triple M radio.
Mr Albanese became the first Australian prime minister to set foot on Chinese soil in seven years during a visit last November.
Mr Xiao used a similar press conference last year to announce the dropping of trade barriers against Australian timber, with officials in Canberra given little notice about the announcement.
On the flip side, the ambassador could also be feeling pressure to "bang the drum pretty hard in response to Taiwan's elections," Mr Herscovitch said.
"Democracies have congratulated the (president-elect) and are upbeat about that election - Beijing is probably feeling frustrated with all of that," he said.
"The ambassador along with a whole host of Chinese diplomatic representatives in other countries may feel the need to ... object in a strong way to de-facto independence."
Australian Associated Press
