PERTH, Australia, Sept. 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese
President Hu Jintao arrived here Monday for a state visit to Australia, where he
will also attend the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Sydney on Sept. 8-9.
During his visit, Hu is expected to discuss with
Australian leaders ways of furthering the development of bilateral relations, as
well as major world and regional issues of common concern.
Chinese President Hu Jintao arrives in
Perth Monday for a state visit to Australia, where he will also attend the
APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Sydney on September 8-9.. (Xinhua
Photo) Photo
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This
year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between
China and Australia. In 2006, the two countries agreed to develop comprehensive
and cooperative ties for mutual benefit in the 21st century.
"China and Australia are important countries in the
Asia-Pacific region. Over the past 35 years since the establishment of
diplomatic ties, the two countries have treated each other as equals with mutual
respect and actively promoted friendly exchanges and win-win cooperation, and
their relationship has maintained a strong momentum of growth," Hu said in a
written statement issued upon arrival.
In recent years, cooperation between the two
countries has been expanding steadily in such fields as economy, trade, energy,
environmental protection, culture, science and technology, education and
tourism.
China is the second largest trading partner of
Australia while Australia is China's ninth. In 2006, bilateral trade amounted to
32.9 billion U.S. dollars, up 20 percent from the previous year.
In the first six months of 2007, bilateral trade
reached 19.5 billion dollars, a 35 percent increase over the corresponding
period of 2006.
"I am visiting Australia to increase mutual trust,
expand common ground, deepen cooperation and boost the growth of China-Australia
ties," he said in the statement.
Soon after his arrival, Hu met with West Australia
Premier Alan Carpenter.
Chinese President Hu Jintao meets with
West Australia Premier Alan Carpenter in Perth Monday. (Xinhua
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
China
has become West Australia's largest export market and its second largest trading
partner. In recent years, China and Australia's resource-rich state have carried
out a series of large cooperation projects in the fields of energy and natural
resources. These projects "have provided resources necessary for China's
economic construction while vigorously driving the economic growth in West
Australia," Hu said.
"Meanwhile, the two sides have also expanded
cooperation in education and scientific research," he said.
China stands ready to work with West Australia to
bring the level of dual-track cooperation to a new height, he said.
Carpenter said he was delighted to see the sound and
mutually-beneficial cooperation between West Australia and China and hoped the
cooperation would be deepened in trade, infrastructure, science and technology
and personnel exchanges.
Perth, capital of West Australia, is the first leg of
Hu's week-long trip, which will also take him to Canberra and Sydney.
"President Hu's visit to Australia would help boost
the friendly relations, intensify the high-level exchanges and consolidate the
pragmatic cooperation between China and Australia," Chinese Assistant Foreign
Minister He Yafei told a press conference in Beijing last Tuesday.
In Sydney, President Hu will attend the 15th Economic
Leaders' Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, and meet
with leaders of other APEC members on the sidelines of the meeting.
APEC is the premier forum for facilitating economic
growth, cooperation, trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region. Since its
birth in 1989, APEC has grown to encompass 21 members spanning four continents,
representing the most economically dynamic region in the world.
The 21 APEC member economies are Australia, Brunei,
Canada, Chile, China, China's Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Japan,
Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Russia,
Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam.
