By Will Koulouris
SYDNEY, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Former Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr has stressed the importance of a strong continuation of positive ties between Australia and China in a recent interview with Xinhua, noting that it is "the guarantor of Australia's future prosperity."
The massive transformation that has been taking place throughout China, has enabled China's growth to continue, and the emergence of a burgeoning middle class in China is crucial to all Australians, according to Carr, who said that it has drastically improved the living standards of each and every person in his own country.
He said, "The Chinese economy is becoming one based on consumption and services. It's getting beyond the old fashioned model of mass production for export. That is part of the modernisation, part of the economic transition of China."
"There's nothing else in our prospect like China recruiting another 850 million people to its middle class by 2030," Carr said, adding, "It's like a new continent coming out of the ocean to Australia's north saying we want to buy our goods from you, and we want to buy your services like education and tourism."
"It's as simple as that. Australian households have got more money, because China has been dragging its people out of poverty, and they have demanded things from Australia," Carr said.
Therefore, the Australia-China relationship "is hugely important to Australia, this is the guarantor of Australia's future prosperity," he added.
As the former leader of the most populous state in Australia, and its longest serving leader, as well as his time as the foreign minister of the nation, Carr is well versed in the relationship between Australia and China and sees a great potential in the continuing development of what is already a win-win partnership.
"There have been plenty of visits. Trade has increased," said Carr, who also pointed out that Australia needs to get out of the habit of lecturing China.
Carr also spoke highly of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, noting that it's multilateralist, about infrastructure and peaceful engagement.
Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aiming at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of Silk Road.
