Australia aims for steady ties, premier told

Joint efforts bring positive results, Li notes in meeting with PM Albanese

Premier Li Qiang was assured on Thursday by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, in a meeting on the sidelines of the 18th East Asia Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia, that Canberra wants to build a stable and constructive relationship with China.

During the talks, Albanese also promised to properly manage the differences between the two countries.

The meeting, which was the first between the two leaders, followed Albanese's meeting with President Xi Jinping in November on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, after a worsening of bilateral ties in recent years.

Li told Albanese that with joint efforts, China-Australia relations have continued to show improvement in the past year.

China is willing to work with Australia to quickly restart and resume exchanges in various fields, and continue to promote dialogue and consultations in the fields of diplomacy, trade, education and consular affairs, the premier said.

Furthermore, China will continue to expand high-level opening-up to provide a larger market for countries around the world, including Australia, he said.

Li expressed hope that Australia will adopt an objective and fair attitude toward investment and operation by Chinese companies in Australia.

Both sides should handle differences properly in the spirit of mutual respect, seeking common ground while shelving differences, and promote further improvement and development of the bilateral relations, he said.

Noting that the Asia-Pacific region is the common home of China and Australia, the premier said that China is willing to work with Australia to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the region.

Albanese said that Australia is encouraged by the progress made in bilateral relations and is willing to promote dialogue and communication, deepen cooperation in the areas of economics and trade, and expand people-to-people exchanges.

Australia is also willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China in international affairs and jointly address global challenges such as climate change, he added.

Albanese said in a media statement after the meeting that he looks forward to visiting China later this year to mark the 50th anniversary of the historic visit to China by then Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam, whose 1973 diplomatic trip was the first visit to China by an Australian prime minister.

Speaking at a regular news conference on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that the Chinese side welcomes a visit to China by Albanese at the invitation of the Chinese premier, and stands ready to work with Australia to make preparations in due course.

Meanwhile, during a meeting with Republic of Korea President Yoon Suk-yeol in Jakarta, Li emphasized the importance, in order to uphold the overall development of China-ROK ties, of respecting each other's core interests and major concerns.

He underlined the need for both countries to enhance political mutual trust, steer clear of obstacles and meet each other halfway in order to advance the development of bilateral ties and promote regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.

He said that both sides should adhere to the general direction of good neighborliness and friendship and work together to address challenges and difficulties.

It is important to expand the countries' common interests, accelerate the second phase of negotiations on a China-ROK free trade agreement, explore new areas of cooperation such as high technologies and green and low-carbon development, and jointly maintain stable and unimpeded industrial and supply chains, he added.

Regarding the Korean Peninsula issue, Li said that China remains committed to facilitating peace talks to uphold stability on the peninsula.

Yoon said that the ROK is willing to strengthen communication and dialogue at all levels with China, deepen exchanges and cooperation in the sectors of economy, trade and culture, uphold multilateralism and free trade and promote the stable and healthy development of bilateral ties.

The ROK is also willing to strengthen coordination with China and promote trilateral cooperation between the ROK, China and Japan, Yoon added.

Also on Thursday, Li met with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in Jakarta.