China’s newly appointed ambassador to Australia, Mr Chen Yuming, shares his new year wishes with the readers of Australia China Connections.
As the New Year approaches, it gives me great pleasure to wish everyone at Australia China Connections, and, through you, all readers who care about, and have supported and promoted economic and trade cooperation between China and Australia, the very best New Year. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Australia I wish everyone prosperity, happiness and health.
The economic and trade cooperation between our two countries has achieved remarkable results, making a positive contribution to our economic and social development and we were the first two countries to emerge from the global financial crisis.
The scale of our economic and trade cooperation has been deepening and expanding in recent years with ever increasing sectors and varied approaches in cooperation. It is expected that bilateral trade in 2010 will reach US$100 billion. At this point of time, China has become Australia’s largest trading partner, export market, source of imports and second largest source of investment, and Australia is China’s eighth largest trading partner, the ninth largest export market and seventh largest source of imports.
China will maintain its healthy economic development, with continuous optimization of industry structure, ever strengthening its innovative capability and strong market needs, providing formidable momentum for mutual benefit and a win-win for China Australia economic and trade cooperation.
Australia’s superb natural resources, sound financial services system and open and transparent policy environment has paved a new path towards our economic and trade cooperation.
The negative impact of the global financial crisis still lingers. There is still a long way to go for a full recovery in the world economy with a rise of protectionism in investment and trade. As two important economies, China and Australia should work together to expand our mutually beneficial cooperation in areas such as finance, agriculture, animal husbandry, clean energy, biotechnology, labour, energy and mining and resources, making new contributions to healthy and sustainable economic development for our two countries and the whole world.
It is my wish that Australia China Connections, as the name implies, will truly become a bridge and tie to connect us in all walks of life between China and Australia and play an even greater role in facilitating our economic and trade cooperation.
I sincerely hope Australia China Connections go from strength to strength. ■
HE Mr. Chen Yuming,
Chinese Ambassador to Australia
