Chinese, Australian FMs agree to promote steady development of bilateral relations

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Australian counterpart, Penny Wong, agreed here on Thursday to promote the steady development of bilateral relations.

They met on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly.

Recalling their meeting in Bali, Indonesia, two months ago, Wang said both sides stressed the importance of China-Australia relations, reconfirmed their comprehensive strategic partnership and agreed to bring bilateral ties back to the right track at an early date in the spirit of mutual respect.

Noting that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia, Wang said after half a century of trials and hardships, this relationship should become more mature, stable and resilient and take its course, which serves the interests of both sides and is also the expectation of the two peoples.

China is willing to work with Australia to earnestly take stock of past experience and properly address differences so as to promote the sound and steady development of bilateral ties, he added.

For her part, Wong said Australia is willing to develop a steady, mutual beneficial and fruitful relationship with China on the basis of mutual respect.

Australia is ready to take the 50th anniversary as an opportunity and adopt a calm and forward-looking attitude to communicate candidly with the Chinese side, and carry out constructive exchanges so as to advance the Australia-China comprehensive strategic partnership, she said.

Australia respects the international legal system based on the UN Charter, adheres to the one-China policy and does not support the "Taiwan independence," Wong said.

Noting that trade between Australia and China benefits both sides, she hoped that an open international trade system can be maintained.

China, Wang said, appreciates Australia's reaffirmation of the one-China policy. The two sides need to work in the same direction, employ more proactive thinking, send more positive signals, tell more win-win cooperation stories, and conduct more people-to-people and sub-national exchanges, so as to create a good atmosphere for the sound development of China-Australia relations, he added.

Wang stressed that China firmly supports trade liberalization and facilitation, and is committed to building an open economic system at a higher level and forging an open world economy.

All parties should promote the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, abide by the international law and the basic norms governing international relations and support the United Nations in playing a central role, Wang said.

Wang also expounded on China's principled position on issues related to Ukraine, the South China Sea and Xinjiang.