中国与澳大利亚年度对话促合作

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is in China for a two-day visit. On Friday, she met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for talks on economic and strategic issues.

The Foreign and Strategic Dialogue between China and Australia is part of a series of annual bilateral meetings. It was established last April during a visit by then Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, where leaders of both countries also agreed to upgrade their relationship to a strategic partnership.

"What we have learned in the past years of bilateral relations is that we need to respect each other’s core interests, accommodate each other’s major concerns, and nurture and deepen mutual trust," said Wang Yi.

Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said she looked forward to enhancing bilateral relations ahead of Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s scheduled visit to China next year.

"The new Australian government is committed to developing bilateral partnership, it is one of the most important partnership politically, economically," said Julie Bishop.

As for China’s recently announced Air Defense Identification Zone, the Australian foreign minister issued a statement in November expressing grave concerns about the Chinese defense measure. But just prior to her trip to Beijing, Bishop appeared to back-track, saying instead that the Australian government supported Chinese President Xi Jinping’s call for regional cooperation.

Despite the reversal in position, Wang Yi said Australia’s initial comments had not been forgotten.

"What Australia has said and done with regard to China’s establishment of an Air Defense Identification Zone in the East China Sea has jeopardized mutual trust," said Wang Yi.

China is one of Australia’s largest economic partners, with bilateral trade exceeding 110 billion US dollars last year.

And the prime minister earlier said he hoped to seal a free trade agreement with China within 12 months.

There have so far been 19 rounds of free trade talks since they first began in Sydney in May 2005. Despite remaining differences on investment, agriculture and service issues, both sides say they are committed to pushing forward negotiations.