Healthy, stable China-Australia ties in interest of two people, says Wang Yi

Beijing, The Gulf Observer: Maintaining the healthy and stable China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership is in the fundamental interests of the two people and conducive to promoting peace and development in the Asia-Pacific region and the world, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi told visiting Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Wednesday.

China and Australia should and can become mutually needed cooperative partners as they have neither historical grievances nor fundamental conflicts of interest, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said in the sixth round of the China-Australia diplomatic and strategic dialogue held in Beijing.

Wong’s visit echoes the 50th anniversary of the signing of the diplomatic communique between China and Australia, which is of great landmark significance, Wang noted.

China appreciates that the new Australian government has repeatedly expressed willingness to improve and develop relations with China, Wang said. Both sides should take the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations as an opportunity, to return to the original intention and promote bilateral relations for further improvement and move forward in a sustainable manner, he said.

The two sides should abide by the commitments made at the time of establishing diplomatic relations, adhere to correct mutual perceptions and mature ways of getting along with each other, and maintain the stability of policies, he said.

Wang pointed out the importance of mutual respect. Both sides should respect each other’s autonomy and territorial integrity, political systems and development models, do not interfere in each other’s internal affairs, and treat each other as equals with peaceful coexistence.

China and Australia should correctly view and manage the differences and disagreements between the two countries and find mutually acceptable solutions through consultation, he said.

Noting that China and Australia have highly complementary economies and broad prospects for cooperation in various fields, he said both sides should make consensus and cooperation the keynote of bilateral relations, expand common interests, promote their respective development and prosperity, and bring more lasting benefits to the peoples of both countries.

Wong said that the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence, which were jointly established when Australia and China established diplomatic relations, play an important role in promoting the development of bilateral relations.

Australia and China have close economic and trade ties, vibrant people-to-people exchanges and long-standing friendship, and a stable and constructive Australia-China relationship is in the interests of both countries and the region, she said.

The new Australian government adheres to the one-China policy, and is ready to manage differences between the two countries, to restore and develop communication and exchanges in all fields under the framework of the Australia-China comprehensive strategic partnership, she added.

After the talks, the two sides issued a joint statement on the outcome of the China-Australia diplomatic and strategic dialogue, agreeing that China-Australia relations should be in line with the positioning of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, and that both sides will maintain high-level contacts, initiate or restart dialogue and communication in bilateral relations, economic and trade, regional and international issues, and support people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.