Australia's first statue of ancient Chinese thinker Confucius was unveiled Saturday in Burwood, a city near Sydney.

Attendants stand in front of the statue of Confucius in Burwood, Australia, on Dec. 1, 2007. The statue of Confucius, great educator and philosopher in ancient China, was unveiled in Burwood on Dec. 1, the first in Australia.

The statue was made in China and modeled on a "standardized" image of Confucius unveiled last year by the China Confucius Foundation.

Burwood Mayor John Faker said at the unveiling ceremony that the Confucius statue showcases Burwood's government and residents' recognition of and support for cultural diversity.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chinese Consul General in Sydney Qiu Shaofang hailed Burwood's contributions to promoting China-Australia relations and said the statue highlights cultural diversity in Burwood.

(Xinhua News Agency December 3, 2007)