Han Qide, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, met in Beijing Saturday with an Australian parliamentary delegation.

 

Han said the development of China-Australia relations now enjoys the best period of its history, with frequent high-level visits, close exchanges between political parties and parliaments and fruitful cooperation in various fields.

 

China and Australia share common interests in safeguarding world peace and stability and in promoting development, Han said, noting that the two nations are able to set an example for achieving peaceful coexistence between countries with different social system and different historical and cultural background.

 

The Australian parliamentary delegation, headed by Kerry O'Brien, shadow minister for transport of the Australian Labor Party, were here on a visit to China from April 22 to May 2 at the invitation of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 30, 2006)