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China and Australia should insist that they are partners, not rivals, and that China’s development is an opportunity, not a threat, to Australia, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Thursday.
Wang made the remarks when meeting with the Australian delegation for the seventh Meeting of the China-Australia High-level Dialogue in Beijing.
China-Australia ties have long been at the forefront of China’s relations with Western countries, he said, adding that the economies of the two countries are highly complementary. Their people are friendly to each other, and there are no historical disputes or major real conflicts of interest, said Wang.
China’s policy towards Australia remains consistent and stable, and it will continue to adhere to the important positioning of the China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership, he stressed. China will work with the Australian side to promote the healthy, stable and sustainable development of bilateral ties, bringing more benefits to the two peoples and contributing to regional peace and stability, Wang noted.
As last year marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Australia, Wang said this year the two sides are standing at the new starting point of another 50 years. The ups and downs and difficulties in the China-Australia relationship in the past few years cannot define the essence of the bilateral ties, nor can they stop cooperation between the two countries, he stressed.
He urged both sides to look at each other objectively, calmly and amicably, refrain from interfering in each other’s internal affairs, enhance understanding through communication, and properly handle each other’s differences.
Noting China-Australia relations should be promoted independently and autonomously, without being influenced or interfered with by a third party, he called for both sides to abide by the strategic guidance of the two leaders, unload their baggage and add more positive energy to comprehensively sort out cooperation in all fields, steadily advancing their comprehensive strategic partnership.
The head of the Australian delegation, former Australian Trade Minister Craig Emerson, told Wang that Australia and China have strong economic complementarities and that it is very pleased to see the Australia-China relationship maturing after many twists and turns.
Australia has always regarded China as an important partner and is willing to engage in constructive and frank dialogue with China to understand each other, manage differences and develop a long-term and stable bilateral relationship, Emerson said.
Both sides should also reinvigorate cooperation in multilateral institutions, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation and work together for the well-being of both countries and the world, he added.
Wang responded that China and Australia are both supporters and promoters of the multilateral trading system, and China stands ready to work with all parties, including Australia, to build an Asia-Pacific community and promote globalization in the direction of inclusive, open and win-win development.
(Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets the Australian delegation for the seventh Meeting of the China-Australia High-level Dialogue in Beijing, China, September 7, 2023. /Chinese Foreign Ministry)
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