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| Wu Bangguo (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, meets with Harry Jenkins, Speaker of House of Representatives of Australia, in Beijing, China, April 7, 2010. (Xinhua/Li Tao) |
BEIJING, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo held talks with Harry Jenkins, speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia, on Wednesday, with both sides pledging closer ties and more parliamentary exchanges between the two countries.
"China and Australia share extensive interests and broad cooperative potential in terms of developing bilateral ties and dealing with global challenges," said Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature.
China regards Australia as an important cooperative partner in the Asia-Pacific region and is willing to work with Australia to address each other's concerns and deepen cooperation from a strategic and long-term perspective, Wu said.
Jenkins is in Beijing to attend the second meeting of a regular exchange mechanism of the two countries' parliaments which is scheduled for Thursday.
It is Jenkins' first visit to China as speaker of the House of Representatives.
Since the regular exchange mechanism was set up in 2006, it has become an important platform for increasing mutual understanding and promoting mutually-beneficial cooperation, Wu said, urging the two parliaments to have in-depth exchanges of views on issues of common concern.
Jenkins hoped to have a better understanding of China through the seven-day visit, which will also take him to Guangdong Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Shanghai.
Also on Wednesday, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping met with Jenkins.
Xi said China and Australia, as important countries in the Asia-Pacific region, have extensive interests and solid basis for cooperation to safeguard regional peace and stability, promote regional and global economic growth and to deal with global challenges.
"A healthy and stable China-Australia relationship complies with the interests of the two countries and peoples," said Xi.
Xi said that China and Australia should increase high-level visits and exchanges at various levels and cement mutually-beneficial cooperation in areas like trade, energy, environmental protection, technology and culture.