President wants more deals with Australia

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.

President Xi Jinping meets Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2013 in Boao, Hainan province, on Sunday. WU ZHIYI / CHINA DAILY

Analysts said there is plenty of room for the two countries to advance bilateral ties and cooperation, which will increase interactions between them and provide better solutions to problems in the bilateral relationship.

Han Feng, a researcher on Asia-Pacific studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, noted that agriculture, science and technology, healthcare and education are all areas that China and Australia can seek more cooperation in the future.

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.