Senior Chinese official lauds ties with Australia

Visiting Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong (L) and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard attend a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of China-Australia ties in Canberra, Dec. 12, 2012. (Xinhua/Bai Xue)

Visiting Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong said here Wednesday the comprehensive cooperative relationship between China and Australia had made fresh progress.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 40 years ago, China and Australia had realized intensified high-level contacts, fast-growing bilateral trade and vigorous people-to-people exchanges, Liu said at a ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of China-Australia ties.

China and Australia, as important countries of influence in the Asia-Pacific region, shared comprehensive interests and shouldered joint responsibility in safeguarding regional stability and development, Liu said.

She urged China and Australia to join efforts in forging a new type of relationship of long-term stability and healthy development by respecting each other, carrying out all-around and high-level cooperation in trade and the economy and people-to-people exchanges, and strengthening communication and coordination on major global and regional issues.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who was also present at the ceremony, reviewed the development of Australia-China relationships since the establishment of diplomatic ties, saying the two countries' interests were deeply intertwined.

The Australian government saw China as a true and long-lasting friend, and was looking forward to boosting the comprehensive cooperative relationships of mutual benefits and win-win outcomes between Australia and China by further enhancing high-level exchanges and broadening the sphere of bilateral pragmatic cooperation, she said.

Liu arrived in Australia on Tuesday, the last leg of her four-nation tour. She had visited Russia, Cambodia and New Zealand.