Economic and trade cooperation is often seen as the “ballast” in state-to-state relations, and hence the business circle pay particular attention to the business ties between our two countries. I would suggest approaching the business relations from the overall context of China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership. Examining our relationship from a comprehensive and strategic perspective helps us get the big picture right.
First, China and Australia benefit from each other’s development; we are a close community of shared interests. For 15 years in a row, China has been Australia’s largest trading partner, export market and source of imports. Trade with China accounts for more than 30 percent of Australia’s total foreign trade. Decades of experience shows time and again that both our economies benefit when our economic and trade cooperation is sound and stable; and both economies suffer when our cooperation is in trouble. China’s development is an opportunity, not a challenge, for Australia.
Second, our economies complement each other; we are natural partners for cooperation. Australia is rich in mineral resources and well-known for its agro-products, and has many leading technologies in sci-tech and industrial innovation. China, on its part, has a super-sized market of 1.4 billion people, a complete industrial system, abundant high-caliber innovators, and diverse scenarios for the application of innovations. Through cooperation, we can turn our complementarity into a robust momentum of development in both countries.
Third, China-Australia cooperation shows broad prospects; we are an important force for stabilizing industrial and supply chains and spurring economic growth. China’s huge market will continue to unleash demand, creating new room for trade and investment cooperation. China’s idea to develop new quality productive forces has much in common with Australia’s Future Made in Australia Act. There is enormous potential for bilateral cooperation in emerging sectors such as green development and digital economy. Both China and Australia are important players in the international industrial division of labor. Closer cooperation between us will help keep global industrial and supply chains stable and smooth, and inject more impetus into sustained recovery in both countries, the region and the world at large.
经贸合作历来被视为国与国关系的“压舱石”。对中澳之间的经贸合作，广大企业尤为关注。我感到，应将其置于两国全面战略伙伴关系中，以全面的视角、战略的眼光来加以审视，从而更好地把握大势。首先，中澳发展彼此受益，是紧密的利益共同体。中国已连续15年是澳大利亚第一大贸易伙伴、出口市场和进口来源地，双边贸易额已占澳大利亚贸易总额的3成以上。过去数十年的实践反复证明，中澳经贸合作保持稳健时两国经济就都受益，受到阻碍时两国经济就都受损。中国的发展对澳方是机遇不是挑战。第二，中澳经济优势互补，是天然的合作伙伴。澳大利亚有着丰富的矿产资源，农产品享有盛誉，在科技产业创新方面有不少领先技术。中国有14亿多人口的超大规模市场，有完备的产业体系、充足的创新人才、丰富的应用场景。双方加强合作，可以将互补优势转化为两国共同发展的强健趋势。第三，中澳合作前景广阔，是稳定产业链供应链、促进经济增长的重要力量。中国大市场持续释放的需求将为两国贸易投资不断提供新的空间。中国提出发展新质生产力，与澳方提出的“未来制造业法案”理念契合，两国在绿色发展、数字经济等新兴领域的合作潜力巨大。中澳在国际产业分工体系中都占据着重要位置，双方密切合作有利于维护全球产业链供应链稳定畅通，为两国、地区乃至世界的经济持续恢复注入更多动能。