President Hu Jintao met the Australian Governor-General Michael Jeffery in Beijing on Monday and pledged that China would work with Australia to further enhance bilateral ties and cooperation in all fields.

 

Jeffery congratulated China on the Shenzhou VI mission and the completion of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, and said Australia values relations with China and would like to further increase bilateral cooperation on economy and trade, energy resources and education.

 

Hu spoke highly of present relations, saying he and Jeffery had reached common ground on developing relations and that political trust and economic cooperation have been promoted.

 

Hu said bilateral trade volume exceeded US$20 billion last year, free trade agreement negotiations were launched, and cooperation on energy resources, public health, and tourism had been fruitful.

 

He also expressed his appreciation to Australia for its adherence to a “one-China” policy and its opposition to "Taiwan independence."

 

Jeffery said the Australian government hoped free trade agreement negotiations would continue to make progress. He also promised Australia would offer natural gas to China according to the agreement.

 

Prior to the meeting, Hu held a ceremony to welcome Jeffery, who arrived in the Chinese capital on Saturday as part of his ten-day state visit.

 

During his stay in Beijing, he is also expected to meet Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 18, 2005)