Are Beijing and Canberra having a brief lovers’ tiff or has their marriage of convenience hit the rocks? Australia’s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd claimed the former on Thursday, describing tension with China as “bumps in the road”. His approach to the long march ahead is right. It is important, not just for Australia, that he stick to it.

Mr Rudd on Thursday denied reports Australia’s ambassador had been called back urgently to Canberra (he said it was normal). Nonetheless, the relationship with Beijing has recently appeared both more politically fraught and more economically vital.