Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian Publishes an Article on an Australian Masthead to Emphasize “Now is the Time to Advance Bilateral Relations with Steady Progress”

On July 7th, 2025, the Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian published an article entitled "Now is the time to advance bilateral relations with steady progress" in the opinion section of The Australian Financial Review, stating that the healthy and stable development of China-Australia relations serves the interests of both countries and enjoys the firm support of the two peoples. At present, China-Australia relations are faced with favorable opportunities. China is willing to work with Australia to strengthen high-level guidance, enhance political mutual trust, properly manage differences, focus on common interests, and promote greater development of the China-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Over the past three years, through the joint efforts of both sides, China-Australia relations have stabilized and improved, achieving a comprehensive turnaround. President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have met on three occasions. Premier Li Qiang and Prime Minister Albanese have exchanged successful visits. Mechanisms for dialogue and exchange across various sectors have been resumed, mutual understanding enhanced, and practical cooperation between the two nations expanded. Facts have proven that the healthy and stable development of China-Australia relations serves the interests of both countries and enjoys the firm support of the two peoples.

Not long ago, the Australian Labor government was re-elected and sworn into office, ushering in the second decade of the China-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and  another important epoch of development. At present, both China and Australia are faced with new economic development tasks. China is committed to advancing high-quality development, while Australia is devoted to enhancing productivity. We look forward to further strengthening cooperation between the two sides so as to bring more benefits to both countries and peoples.

First, strengthening high-level guidance and consolidating institutional dialogue and exchanges. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China-Australia relations have demonstrated resilience and vitality, weathering ups and downs, with the key lying in the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries. China has always viewed Australia and China-Australia relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, committed to advancing bilateral ties beyond stabilization and toward progress. China is willing to work with Australia to maintain the momentum of high-level engagement, make the most of such primary intergovernmental dialogue mechanisms as the China -Australia Leaders' Annual Meeting, the Foreign and Strategic Dialogue, the Strategic Economic Dialogue, the Joint Ministerial Economic Commission, as well as the Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Change, continuously enhance communication, deepen mutual trust, build consensus, and promote cooperation.

Second, expanding practical cooperation across all fields. China and Australia are natural partner with complementary economic strengths. Over the past decade since the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) came into effect, it has served as an important engine in boosting bilateral economic and trade cooperation. China has been Australia's largest trading partner, largest export destination and the largest source of imports for 16 consecutive years. With a population of over 1.4 billion, including more than 400 million middle-income earners, China provides a vast and stable consumption market for Australian minerals, wine, beef, lobster and other products. At the 10th anniversary of the implementation of ChAFTA, we are willing to review the agreement with a more open attitude and higher standard, further consolidate cooperation in traditional areas such as agriculture and mining, and actively explore new growth areas in emerging fields like artificial intelligence, healthcare, green energy, and the digital economy, elevating practical cooperation to new heights.

Third, deepening people-to-people exchanges and sub-national ties. China and Australia have shared strong foundation for friendship, with close interpersonal and cultural connections. China has long been Australia's largest source of international students and overseas tourists, with over a million Chinese tourists visiting Australia annually. Today, over one million Chinese Australians live in the country, making significant contributions to Australia's economic and social development, and enriching its multicultural society. They serve as a vital bridge in people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. The two sides now have over 100 sister provinces (states) and cities, playing an important role in enhancing sub-national exchanges and friendship. China looks forward to further strengthening people-to-people ties with Australia and writing more heartwarming stories of mutual understanding between the two peoples.

Fourth, advancing cooperation on international and regional affairs. Both China and Australia are major countries in the Asia-Pacific region, beneficiaries and defenders of the post-war international order. At present, the international community faces intertwined challenges, with rising unilateralism and protectionism. China is willing to work with Australia to build consensus on international and regional issues, strengthen collaboration under multilateral frameworks including the UN, G20, APEC, and ASEAN, jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, uphold international rules and order, and advocate for free trade, injecting more stability and certainty into a world of turbulence and transformation.

Standing at a new historical starting point, now is the time to advance bilateral relations with steady progress. Guided by the fundamental interests of our two peoples and the earnest expectations of regional nations, China stands ready to work with Australia to strengthen high-level guidance, enhance political mutual trust, properly manage differences, focus on common interests, and promote greater development of the China-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.