Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne pledged on Tuesday to strengthen bilateral ties on the basis of mutual respect and trust. 

China has noticed some positive remarks the Australian side has recently made on its China policy, Wang said while meeting with Payne on the sidelines of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly. 

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, in particular, has stated publicly that China is a partner rather than a threat, Australia attaches great importance to China, and the comprehensive strategic partnership with China is crucial to Australia, Wang noted. 

Australia's ties with China are far more than just "a customer relationship," and the clarification is quite necessary, Wang said. 

He voiced the hope that Australia will properly handle China-related sensitive issues in a constructive manner, and, in particular, adopt the right stance on issues concerning China's sovereignty, security and development interests. 

Payne congratulated the country on its 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and said that Australia welcomes China's development. 

China's growth over the past decades has not only lifted hundreds of millions of Chinese people out of poverty, but also contributed to the stability of the international system, Payne noted. 

Emphasizing the significance of developing the comprehensive strategic partnership with China, Payne said that there are far more opportunities than differences in bilateral ties. 

Australia hopes to enhance communication with China, promote mutual understanding and trust, seek to expand cooperation, properly manage differences and develop an even closer relationship, she added. 

Wang also met with the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Troika collectively on the same day. The two sides agreed to jointly press ahead with the construction of China-Gulf Cooperation Council free trade zone.

They also agreed to promote counter-terrorism cooperation in the Middle East, strengthen international de-extremism cooperation and prevent the spread and infiltration of extremism.

During the meeting with the African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, Wang stressed that China-AU relationship is at its best in history.

The two leaders noted that the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement is an important milestone along the path of integration and economic cooperation on the continent.

Wang stressed the Spain's important role in promoting healthy Sino-EU relations when meeting with the Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell Fontelles.

Congratulating Borrell on his nomination as the new High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Wang said China hopes the EU will pursue a more active policy towards China.

Borrell echoed that Spain opposes protectionism, trade wars and unreasonable restrictions on high-tech enterprises, and hopes to play a better role in Sino-EU relations.

Wang and the Sudan's new Prime Minister in the transitional government Abdalla Hamdok said that the two countries will continue to strengthen the bilateral relations and carry out more practical cooperation during their meeting.

(Cover: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with the Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne on the sideline of the 74th UNGA in New York, September 24, 2019. /Photo via Chinese Foreign Ministry)