CANBERRA - Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang met here Friday with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to discuss the development of relations between their two countries and issues of common concern.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (L) meets with visiting Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang in Canberra, capital of Australia, Oct. 30, 2009. [Xinhua]

At the meeting, Li said that a healthy and stable China-Australia relationship was beneficial to the core interests of the two peoples and would therefore help promote stability and prosperity in the region and the world as a whole.

As two important nations in the Asia-Pacific region, China and Australia shared a wide range of common interests and solid ground for cooperation, either in maintaining regional peace and stability or in driving regional and global economic growth, and dealing with international challenges, Li said.

Stressing dialogue, coordination and cooperation were crucial for bilateral relations, the vice premier said both nations need to adhere to a strategic and long-term perspective to deal with bilateral ties.

Only by joint efforts could the two sides achieve common progress, he said.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (3rd R) meets with visiting Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang (2nd L) in Canberra, capital of Australia, Oct. 30, 2009. [Xinhua]

Noting that China and Australia have complementary economies, Li said China hopes Australia will always stick to an open and non-discriminatory policy towards Chinese investment in Australia.

Furthermore, Li said, the two governments need to forge a friendly policy environment for business from both nations to conduct mutually beneficial cooperation.

On international cooperation, Li said China seeks to continue communication and coordination with Australia within multilateral cooperation mechanisms such as the United Nations, G20, APEC, East Asia Summit and the Pacific Islands Forum.

Speaking at the meeting, Rudd congratulated China on the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and for what the Chinese people has achieved in the past 60 years.

Rudd said he is optimistic about the future of the Australian-Chinese relationship and willing to view those relations in the long run.

China is very important to Australia's future and Australia is also very important to China's future, the prime minister said, adding that the two sides should bring their relations to a new high based on the solid foundation achieved in the past.

Rudd said he and Li have agreed to develop more contacts at a government level in the future.

Rudd said Australia, which understands China's long-term demand of resources and energy, is willing to be a strategic partner with China in this regard.

He also reiterated that Australia adopted an open and nondiscriminatory policy towards investments from China.