China to work with Australia for more mature, stable, fruitful comprehensive strategic partnership -- Premier Li

Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hold the ninth China-Australia Annual Leaders' Meeting in Canberra, Australia, June 17, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

CANBERRA, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang said here Monday that China is ready to work with Australia to build a more mature, stable and fruitful China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership to better benefit the two peoples.

Li made the remarks during the ninth China-Australia Annual Leaders' Meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Li noted that this year marks the 10th anniversary of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Australia and the establishment of the China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership.

Looking back at the development of China-Australia relations over the past decade, the most important experience and inspiration is to uphold mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation, and seek common ground while shelving differences, he said.

Since Prime Minister Albanese's visit to China last November, China and Australia have further restored and developed dialogues and cooperation in various fields, achieving a comprehensive turnaround in bilateral relations, Li said.

He said that China is willing to work with Australia to maintain and develop the current hard-won positive momentum of bilateral relations.

The essential characteristics of China-Australia relations, said Li, are mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, and the development of China and Australia is an opportunity rather than a challenge to each other.

China is willing to stick to its comprehensive strategic partnership with Australia, give full play to the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue and other mechanisms, continuously boost trade, actively expand cooperation in new energy vehicles, renewable energy power generation and other fields, and strengthen sub-national, cultural and tourism exchanges and cooperation, he said.

Li also expressed the hope that the Australian side can provide a fair, just and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese enterprises, and provide more convenience for personnel exchanges between the two sides.

China is willing to enhance coordination and cooperation with Australia at regional and international levels, oppose bloc confrontation and a "new Cold War" from the perspective of maintaining regional peace and stability, adhere to openness, inclusiveness and common development, and work together to advance regional economic integration and build an open world economy, Li said. 

Full Text: Statement on Joint Outcomes of the China-Australia Annual Leaders' Meeting

Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hold the ninth China-Australia Annual Leaders' Meeting in Canberra, Australia, June 17, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)