China, Australia hold new round diplomatic, strategic dialogue

SYDNEY - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday co-hosted with his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop the 2nd Round of China-Australia Diplomatic and Strategic Dialogue in Sydney.

Wang Yi said Australia is a regional power with international influence and it is a key cooperation partner for China in its extended neighborhood. The current bilateral relations have maintained an optimistic momentum.

To further enhance the bilateral ties, Wang said, both sides need to promote mutual trust and mutual benefit as well as to enrich the connotations of the bilateral strategic partnership.

In response, Bishop pointed out that the bilateral relations between Australia and China are strong, mature and progressive. The two countries share frequent high-level exchanges, flourishing economy and trade cooperation, thriving cultural exchanges and good coordination and cooperation in the international and regional affairs.

She said Australia is willing to deepen and expand the strategic cooperative relationship with China based on mutual respect and benefit so as to bring the Sino-Australian relations to a new level.

During the Dialogue, Wang also put forward "Four Respects" in regard to the issue of the South China Sea. The first is to respect the historical facts, second to respect the international regulations, third to respect the direct dialogue and consultation between the countries involved, last to respect the joint efforts made by China and ASEAN on safeguarding peace and stability of the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, the two foreign ministers conducted in-depth discussions and reached a broad consensus on new goal of the bilateral strategic partnership, new blueprint of the trade and investment cooperation and new plan of the non-governmental exchanges.

Before the dialogue, Wang told the media that China may not be Australia's closest friend at the moment but China can surely become the most sincere friend of Australia. He added that China likes Australia to play an active role as a bridge and as a link between the East and the West.

At the invitation of Foreign Minister Murray McCully of New Zealand and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop of Australia, Wang paid official visits to New Zealand and Australia from Sept 4 to 8.