Visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping called in Canberra?on Monday for deepening strategic cooperation with Australia on energy and resources.

In a speech delivered to the Australia-China Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum in the Parliament House, Xi said the cooperation on energy and resources between China and Australia boast profound foundation and great potential, and it has become a shining point for the bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

Currently, Australia is the biggest exporter of iron ore, alumina, coal and liquefied natural gas to China, and it is also the biggest supplier of wheat, sheep hair and live cow for China.

China is Austria's biggest trading partner and biggest exporting market as well as biggest importer. Despite of global financial crisis, Australia's export to China still rose by 31 percent in 2009.

Xi said China, which is still in the process of industrialization and urbanization, increasingly needs energy and mineral resources, while Australia is an important energy and resource producer and exporter, so there is a remarkable potential for Australia to set up strategic cooperation with a nation like China, which boasts huge and steady market demand.

Xi urged governments and enterprises from both countries to join hands to establish a long-term stable trade and investment partnership in energy and resource to realize a win-win cooperation.

The vice president, who was accompanied by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to attend the forum, also urged both sides to steadily move forward the talks on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

In later this month, the 15th round of talks on the FTA will be conducted in Beijing. Xi said he hoped that both sides could take a positive, practical and balanced approach to strive for an early conclusion of the talks.

The vice president also urged both sides to explore more cooperation on new fields like environment-friendly industries, water treatment, air cleaning, new energy, new material and other energy-saving technology.

He also urged Australia to join hands with China to fight protectionism emerged in international trade and investment.

Over 500 business leaders from China and Australia attended the forum.

Later on Monday, Xi and Kevin Rudd are scheduled to meet with senior business leaders who attend a CEO roundtable meeting in Canberra.