China's top legislator Wu Bangguo on Sunday met with Robert Carr, premier of New South Wales, the latest in a series of meetings with Australian local leaders aimed at forging closer mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Australia's states.

Wu, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, said areas of cooperation between China and New South Wales have been expanding and there is a marked growth in mutual investment.

Praising China's economic marvel achieved during more than 20 years of rapid development, Carr said that both the state government and the opposition have shown a strong desire to develop mutually beneficial cooperation with China.

Wu, who is currently on an official goodwill visit to Australia, said China and New South Wales have strong economic complementarity and there is a huge potential for cooperation. He told Carr that China is ready to strengthen cooperation and exchanges with the Australian state in economy and trade, science and technology, education and tourism for common prosperity.

Wu arrived earlier in the day from Cairns, Queensland, where he also met Peter Beattie, the state's premier.

Queensland enjoys close cooperative ties with China. Wu said new headway has been made in bilateral cooperation in energy and resources and that local governments in China also have close contacts with Queensland.

Queensland is playing an increasingly important role in the development of comprehensive and all-round cooperation, he added.

Beattie, who is scheduled to visit China later this year, said he will voice his strong desire to enhance cooperation with China in mining, energy, agriculture, environmental protection, education and tourism.

On Thursday, Wu and Geoff Gallop, premier of Western Australia, agreed to form a long-term strategic cooperative partnership between China and Australia's largest state in energy and mineral resources.

(Xinhua News Agency May 23, 2005)