Sino-Australian ties are "at their warmest in history" and
Canberra is ready to step up negotiations with Beijing on a free
trade agreement to bring the two sides much closer, visiting
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said yesterday.
He was speaking at meeting with Vice President Zeng Qinghong in
Beijing.
Downer said his country welcomes China's rapid economic growth
and rising international influence and is willing to strengthen
collaborations with China on environmental protection, climate
change and clean energy.
Eight rounds of negotiations on a free trade agreement between
China and Australia have been held since May 2005, with the latest
one taking place in Beijing from March 26-30. The next round will
be held in Beijing in late June, the Ministry of Commerce said.
Talks have progressed slowly, held up in part because China is
seeking freer trade in goods while Australia is aiming for
negotiations to liberalize services.
"The economic basis of the Australia-China relationship is
strong, but can be further strengthened by an ambitious and
comprehensive free trade agreement," Downer said before his
visit.
The minister, who arrived in China on Monday as part of a
four-day tour that also includes Mongolia, met first with officials
and the business community in Shanghai before coming to Beijing
yesterday.
He will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Zhaoxing
tomorrow, which are expected to focus on key strategic issues
including China's role in resolving the Korean nuclear issue and
the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders' summit in
Sydney later this year.
During an interview with AFP on Monday, Downer played down
concerns that a security agreement reached between Australia and
Japan in mid-March was meant to contain China.
(China Daily April 4, 2007)
