Xi's South Pacific tour promotes mutually beneficial, win-win co-op(2)

Both as important countries in the Asia-Pacific region, China and Australia have enjoyed economic complementarity, friendly people-to-people relations, frequent contacts and extensive cooperation, Xi said.

"The two sides should proceed from the new historic point to expand exchanges, strengthen dialogues, respect each other, forge ahead and deepen cooperation, thus bringing more benefits to people in both countries and contributing more to peace and prosperity in the region and the whole world at large," Xi said.

As for the practical conclusion of the bilateral FTA talks, Xi described it as a "big event worth celebrating" in the two countries' trade and economic relations.

"The two sides have taken a pragmatic attitude to addressing the concerns of each other, and the FTA demonstrates a balance of interests and is a high-quality, high-level deal," he said.

When meeting New Zealand's Governor-General Jerry Mateparae, Xi said the China-New Zealand relationship stands at the forefront of China's relations with developed countries and sets a good example for interaction between countries of different political systems, history, culture and stages of development.

In his talks with New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key, he said the two countries have built high-level political mutual trust and carried out mutually beneficial cooperation in a wide range of areas on the basis of mutual understanding, inclusiveness and equality.

He suggested the two sides maintain high-level contact and form a multi-layer, multi-channel pattern of bilateral exchanges and cooperation.

Calling for an early realization of the new goal of increasing bilateral trade to 30 billion New Zealand dollars (about 23.5 billion U.S. dollars) by 2020, Xi said the two sides should further consolidate cooperation in traditional fields like agriculture and animal husbandry, as well as other areas such as financial service, information technology, energy conservation, environmental protection and bio-medicine.

These are the key areas for China's development in the future, while New Zealand enjoys competitiveness in them, he noted.

"China, with a population over 1.3 billion, has a huge market, while New Zealand's high-quality products like dairy, wool, mutton, beef and seafood are well-received in China," he said.

DEEPENING RELATIONS WITH PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES

During his state visit to Fiji, the first in history by a Chinese president, Xi said China regards the country as a sincere friend and important partner in the Pacific island region.

Noting that the next year marks the 40th anniversary of China-Fiji diplomatic ties, Xi said China is willing to strengthen exchanges with Fiji at different levels, expand practical cooperation and push for further progress in bilateral ties.

"I hope my visit can open a new chapter in bilateral friendly and cooperative relations," Xi told his Fijian counterpart, Epeli Nailatikau, who said the Chinese president's visit will definitely lift bilateral ties to a higher level.

Meanwhile, China and eight Pacific island countries also agreed to establish a strategic partnership featuring mutual respect and common development.

At a meeting with leaders of the eight Pacific island countries, which have established diplomatic ties with China since the 1970s, Xi expounded China's policy and measures to enhance relations with the island countries in a new era, stressing that China is a sincere friend and partner of those countries.

The Chinese people and the people of the island countries have a "natural sense of amity" toward each other and enjoy a "long history of friendship" although they are geographically far apart, Xi said.

Hailing the expanding common interests of China and the island countries, Xi said their friendly cooperation has entered a fast-track of development.

"China will attach more, not less, importance to its relations with the island countries and will make more input," he said.

Referring to his proposal on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Xi said China sincerely hopes to share experience and achievement of development with the island countries and welcomes them to take a ride on the Chinese "express train" of development.

The leaders of the island countries said they all regard China as a sincere friend and partner as the Chinese side always respects and supports the island countries.H They said China's policy and measures toward the island countries in the new era meet their actual needs and will help the countries in their push for sustainable development.

China's proposals on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank will generate important opportunities for the island countries, they noted.

The leaders pledged that their countries will boost exchanges and cooperation, cement friendship and join hands with China to strive for their dreams.