Chinese Consul General in Perth Fu Lihua Publishes a Signed Article Titled 'China-Western Australia Practical Cooperation Ushers in New Opportunities'

Recently, Consul General Fu Lihua published a signed article titled "China-Western Australia Practical Cooperation Ushers in New Opportunities" in The Guardian (Australia). The article highlights China's economic and social achievements in recent years, provides an overview of the national "two sessions" and the 15th Five-Year Plan, and outlines major measures for China's economic and social development over the next five years. It also analyzes the new opportunities for exchanges and cooperation between China and Western Australia, expressing China's willingness to deepen and expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Western Australia to enhance the well-being of the people on both sides. The full text is as follows:

A few days ago, the Fourth Session of the 14th National People's Congress and the Fourth Session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference concluded in Beijing. As 2026 marks the opening year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan period, the "Two Sessions" this year have drawn significant attention. Which reviewed the major achievements in China's economic and social development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period and adopted the Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development, mapping out a strategic blueprint for the next five years. As its largest trading partner, China's continued growth and strategic planning will bring more opportunities to Western Australia.

The fundamental trend of China's long-term economic improvement remains unchanged, and the outlook for high-quality development is even brighter. Over the past five years, China's economy has achieved remarkable progress, with GDP growth at an average rate of 5.4% annually‌, significantly outpacing the global average. The value added of its manufacturing sector has ranked first in the world for ‌16 consecutive years‌.

Green and low-carbon transition is being accelerated, while continuous breakthroughs are being made in scientific and technological innovation. In 2025, amid profound and complex changes in both the domestic and international situation, China's economy advanced under pressure, achieving a GDP growth of 5.0% and surpassing 140 trillion Yuan (equivalent to around 29 trillion AUD) in total economic output, demonstrating strong resilience and vitality.

Over the next five years, China will implement the 15th Five-Year plan, comprehensively advancing economic and social progress, creating broad new space for China and Western Australia practical cooperation.

POWERING THE SMART ENGINE. China will continue to upgrade traditional industries such as home appliances, new-energy vehicles, and high-speed rail manufacturing, provide small and medium-sized enterprises with cloud-based digital and intelligent services, helping them in delivering higher-quality, more distinctive products, nurture and expand emerging industries like artificial intelligence and robotics, and improve the modern infrastructure system. This will open up significant cooperation opportunities for Western Australia's mineral and service exports.

GREEN TRANSFORMATION. To ensure the carbon peaking goal is achieved as scheduled, China will leverage the construction of key projects such as the "desert, Gobi, and wasteland" renewable energy bases to build a new-type power system, accelerate the construction of zero-carbon industrial parks and factories, tighten control over energy-intensive and high-emission projects, and support the innovation and application of green technologies and equipment. These initiatives are highly aligned with Western Australia's clean energy vision, creating broad space for collaboration.

OPENING UP AND COOPERATION. China will uphold opening up and cooperation for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, steadily expand institutional opening-up, build a new, higher-level open economic system, expand international circulation, and drive reform and growth through opening up. China advocates an equal and orderly multipolar world and an inclusive, globally shared economic globalisation - serving as both the world's factory and the world's market, and sharing opportunities and promoting common development with all countries. This will create favourable conditions for Western Australia to expand exports of high-quality products such as lobster and beef.

China and Australia are both located in the Asia-Pacific region, have highly complementary economies and are natural partners. In recent years, bilateral relations have seen a comprehensive recovery, with frequent high-level exchanges injecting strong momentum into cooperation. As China's largest trading partner in Australia, Western Australia has a natural advantage in aligning its economic diversification goals with China's 15th Five-Year Plan. China is willing to deepen and expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Western Australia, enhancing the wellbeing of both peoples.