President wants more deals with Australia

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President Xi Jinping called on Sunday for more cooperation with Australia in bilateral economic ties and promoting stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

China and Australia's common interests, space for cooperation and common responsibilities are increasing amid the complicated and changing international and regional situation, Xi told Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard in a meeting on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2013 held in Hainan province from Saturday to Monday.

He urged the two countries to accelerate negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement and diversify bilateral trade and investment to promote the China-Australia relationship to a new high.

Xi said the two countries should treat each other as strategic and constructive cooperation partners, take care of each other's core interests and major concerns, and build up a new type of bilateral relationship that features mutual respect, trust and win-win cooperation.

The two countries should also take the lead in promoting development and mutual trust in the Asia-Pacific region, where stability and development is the most important issue, Xi said.

Gillard, on her second visit to China in two years, said Australia is committed to developing a strategic partnership with China based on mutual respect, mutual trust and win-win cooperation.

Australia hopes to become a stable resource supplier of China and expand bilateral cooperation in areas including agriculture, financial services and two-way investment, Gillard said.

The country also wants to maintain communication and coordination with China to protect regional peace, stability and development, she said.

The two countries have established regular meetings between their prime ministers, which will elevate the level of bilateral cooperation, Gillard said.

Gillard said ahead of the meeting that she wants to take practical steps to strengthen and diversify the relationship with China, Australia's largest trading partner, according to ABC News. China-Australia trade in 2012 totaled more than $126 billion.

Australia unveiled its first national security strategy in January, saying the country will continue to engage in practical cooperation with China and welcomes China playing an "increasingly active and constructive role" in the region.

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）

About the broadcaster:

Emily Cheng is an editor at China Daily. She was born in Sydney, Australia and graduated from the University of Sydney with a degree in Media, English Literature and Politics. She has worked in the media industry since starting university and this is the third time she has settled abroad - she interned with a magazine in Hong Kong 2007 and studied at the University of Leeds in 2009.