China, Australia should be partners rather than rivals: Chinese FM

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with Australian businessmen and strategists in Canberra, Australia, March 20, 2024. [Photo by Chu Chen/Xinhua]

CANBERRA -- China and Australia should be partners rather than rivals, as the two countries enjoy all-round and multi-field relations, and their common interests far outweigh their differences, visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Wednesday.

China-Australia relations have embarked on the track of improvement, and the two sides should make strides toward building a more stable, mature and fruitful comprehensive strategic partnership, which will better benefit the peoples of the two countries and countries in the region, Wang said in a meeting with Australian businessmen and strategists in Canberra.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said he hopes that Australian friends could come to China to have a better understanding of China and share more true stories about China-Australia exchanges, so as to promote friendly exchanges between the peoples of the two countries, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and contribute to the development of China-Australia relations.

China's development strengthens the force for world peace, he said, adding as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and the second largest contributor to UN membership fees, China has always been working for peace, vigorously promoting peace and negotiations, and actively contributing to international and regional peace and stability.

China's development is helping stabilize world stability. China has always advocated and practiced multilateralism, advocated the democratization of international relations, opposed unilateralism and bullying, and actively pushed for an international order to develop toward a more just and reasonable direction, Wang said.

China's development brings opportunities, he said, stressing China pursues an opening-up strategy for win-win cooperation, opens wider to the outside world, continues to build a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment, and actively participates in international cooperation to cope with climate change, and continues to provide the world with new opportunities brought by China's new development.

Participants from the Australian side said Australia and China are important partners, and they have more common interests than differences.

They expressed welcome to the improved Australia-China relations and support for dialogues and cooperation in the fields of economy and trade, finance, education, health, scientific research and law.

They said the two countries could explore new opportunities of cooperation in green development and technology innovation, and jointly work to deal with climate change.