Xi Jinping says China, Australia on right path of improving ties

After joint efforts of both sides, China and Australia have resumed exchanges in various fields and embarked on the right path of improving and developing relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed on Monday.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Beijing.

Albanese is on his maiden visit to China from November 4 to 7, the first by an Australian leader since 2016. His visit also marks the 50th anniversary of the first visit to China by an Australian prime minister, Gough Whitlam, in 1973.

Xi told Albanese that his trip to China builds on the past and ushers in the future.

Both China and Australia are countries in the Asia-Pacific region and important members of the Group of 20 (G20), which have no historical grievances or fundamental conflicts of interest, therefore they can absolutely be partners of mutual trust and mutual achievement, Xi said.

He urged both sides to jointly build a China-Australia relationship featuring equality, seeking common ground while shelving differences for mutually beneficial cooperation and pushing forward their comprehensive strategic partnership.

Xi pointed out that this serves the common interests of the two countries and peoples, meets the common expectations of the regional countries, and helps the international community better deal with risks and challenges.

Noting building "small yards with high fences," "decoupling" and "de-risking" are essentially protectionism, which runs counter to the laws of the market and the trend of humanity's development, Xi said that China pursues a mutually beneficial strategy of opening up and  promotes national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization, which will bring unprecedented opportunities to Australia and other countries in the world.

China and Australia should enhance mutual understanding and trust through peaceful coexistence and achieve common development through mutually beneficial cooperation, Xi stressed.

He called for both sides to fully tap into the potential of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, expand cooperation in emerging areas such as climate change and green economy, uphold the global and regional free trade system, and provide a sound business environment for the investment and operation of each other's companies.

Both sides should be vigilant against and oppose any attempt to throw the Asia-Pacific region into chaos, Xi noted.

China is ready to carry out more trilateral and multi-party cooperation with Australia to support South Pacific countries in strengthening resilience of growth, addressing climate change and other challenges, and maintaining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region through openness and inclusiveness, said the Chinese president.

(Cover: Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Beijing, China, November 6, 2023. /Xinhua)