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Premier Li, Australian prime minister to meet annually

Updated: Apr 9,2013 10:42 PM     Xinhua

Premier Li Keqiang (R) and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard attend the signing ceremony of a series of agreements covering recyclable energy, financing, drug control and development aid after their talks in Beijing, capital of China, April 9, 2013.[Photo by Liu Jiansheng/Xinhua]

Premier Li and Australian prime minister will from now on meet annually, Li Keqiang and Julia Gillard announced on April 8, following their hour-long talk in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People.

“China would like to work with Australia to maintain high-level visits, enhance strategic trust and establish and substantiate a strategic partnership based on mutual trust and common prosperity,” Li said.

The premier and Gillard also decided to establish diplomatic and strategic dialogue, strategic economic dialogue and other mechanisms to promote communication and cooperation in multilateral ways.

On the economic front, Li proposed stronger finance and currency cooperation, citing a new agreement to allow the Chinese and Australian currencies to trade directly.

The premier called for multiple means of cooperation in minerals and husbandry and expanded collaboration in rail, ports and telecoms.

Li also urged quickened negotiations on a China-Australia Free Trade Agreement.

On people-to-people exchanges, he proposed deepening exchanges in culture, education, science and technology, tourism and other sectors, while encouraging study exchanges among young people of the two countries.

China and Australia should enhance communication and coordination in multilateral organizations like the United Nations, G-20 and APEC, according to Li.