China is ready to make concerted efforts with Australia to promote the two nations' relations, said Chinese President Jiang Zemin Thursday in Chongqing while meeting with visiting Australian Prime Minister John Howard.
Jiang said the Chinese government attached consistent importance to the China-Australia relationship, which, after 30 years of development, boasted a sound foundation, with frequent exchanges of high-level visits, increasing common interests and wide-ranging cooperation.
It had been proven that the establishment of long-standing and developing bilateral relations was in the interests of both peoples, Jiang said.
The two sides also discussed South Asia and Middle East issues and relations among major powers.
Jiang pointed out that peace and development were still leading the trends of the times, but warned that world development was still far from balanced.
Against such a backdrop, countries should enhance their understanding and cooperation, and gradually resolve disputes to realize peace and development, Jiang said.
He stressed that only by respecting the diversity and the interests of peoples of different countries and promoting the democratization of international relations could a just and reasonable international political and economic order be approached.
Howard recalled his meetings with Jiang on different occasions. He said they reached consensus on developing cooperative Australia-China relations in 1999 and the ties progressed rapidly afterwards.
China had become Australia's third largest trade partner, Howard said, noting that Australia was willing to make more efforts to expand friendly cooperation in trade and economy, education, science and technology, finance and tourism.
Jiang also briefed the guests on China's economic and social development, especially the country's strategy of developing its vast western region.
Minster Zeng Peiyan in charge of the State Development Planning Commission, Vice-Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, and other officials from Chongqing and Australia were also present.
After the meeting, the Prime Minister and his entourage left for home.
(Xinhua News Agency May 24, 2002)
