China will work with Australia to promote the further
development of bilateral relations in all fields on the basis of
mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, said Chinese Premier
Wen Jiabao in Beijing Monday.
Wen made the remark during talks with visiting Australian Prime
Minister John Howard, who started his working visit to China Sunday
evening at Wen's invitation.
The premier said China attaches importance to its relations with
Australia and has set the policy of developing relations of overall
cooperation with Australia, while Australia has taken a strong
Australia-China partnership and strategic economic relationship as
one of the priorities of its foreign policy.
Such policies show the far-sightedness of the two countries and
conform to the interests of their people, said Wen.
Wen said China and Australia, both important countries in the
Asia-Pacific region, have made positive contributions to the
stability and economic and social development of the region.
He said bilateral relations have progressed steadily on a solid
basis since the two countries established diplomatic relations more
than three decades ago, and the frequent high-level contacts in
recent years have helped enhance mutual understanding, consensus
and cooperation in various fields.
China appreciates Australia's principle of mutual respect,
frankly admitting differences and firmly promoting common interest
in developing its relations with China, said Wen.
Mutual respect should be the pre-condition for the development
of state-to-state relations, and both sides should seek common
ground while reserving differences and expand cooperation on this
basis to achieve common development, he said.
Talking about bilateral economic and trade relations, Wen said
that mutual benefit is an important principle in furthering such
relations.
The premier said trade and economic relations between the two
countries have kept a sound momentum for development, citing last
year's bilateral trade volume which exceeded US$10 billion and the
31.9 percent year-on-year increase in the first half of this
year.
This indicates the great potential for bilateral economic and
trade cooperation, and meanwhile, bilateral cooperation in other
fields has also been expanding, added Wen.
Wen expressed thanks for Australia's adherence to the one-China
policy and its support for China in international organizations and
on the Taiwan issue.
Howard said this is his fourth visit to China since he became
prime minister, and in the past years of bilateral diplomatic ties,
especially during his tenure, political mutual trust has been
strengthened, people-to-people contacts have increased, and
economic and trade relations have witnessed a strong growth.
He said the Australian government attaches great importance to
its relations with China and is confident in China's future
development.
Australia will continue to abide by the one-China policy and
will take measures to enhance bilateral constructive relations,
Howard said.
He congratulated China on its victory over severe acute
respiratory syndrome (SARS), and expressed admiration for China's
economic vitality despite the SARS epidemic.
(Xinhua News Agency August 19, 2003)