17 December 1997
E&OE............................................
We celebrate 25 years of diplomatic relations between Australia and China. We celebrate 25 years during which that relationship, inevitably has gone through, on occasions, some strain, but at this moment, at the end of 1997, is in exceptionally fine condition and represents to the Australian Government and I am sure to the Australian people, one of the most important relationships that Australia has with any country in the world.
It was during Mr Whitlam's Prime Ministership that diplomatic relations between Australia and China were established and as well as acknowledging his presence and that of Mr Hawke here tonight, I also acknowledge the presence of Australia's first Ambassador to China, Dr Stephen Fitzgerald. But, importantly, the relationship between our two countries and the improvement and the development and the deepening of that relationship has been pursued vigorously on a bi-partisan basis over the last 25 years. And during the Prime Ministership of Malcolm Fraser, between 1975 and 1983, very strong contributions were made to the development and the deepening of a relationship. And it remains a bi-partisan constant of Australian politics that close relations between our two nations is very, very important, so very firmly, on the two pillars of common interest and mutual respect.
Australia and China are very different societies, our histories have been very different, our political systems have been very different, but our relationship has always been at its very best. Each of us has fully understood the depth of those differences yet resolved to work together to capitalise on the areas of mutual benefit and common interest. It is always important in a relationship between two very different societies that you put aside those differences and you focus on those areas of common agreement and those common agreements and those common interests can be pursued to great mutual benefit.
Australia and China are very natural economic partners. Australia is a major and reliable supplier to China of commodities and technological know-how, which are important to China's economic growth and we import what China is good at producing. China is our largest wool market and a major supplier of clothing. China is the world's largest steel producer and we supply 60 per cent of its iron ore exports. In 1996 our two-way trade exceeded $8 billion and our trade with China has been growing twice as fast as our trade with the rest of the world.
Australia strongly supports the aspirations of China to become a member of the World Trade Organisation and I know that I speak on behalf of business men and women in Australia in saying that they have a growing interest in investment in China. I recall very vividly the very strong support I received from the Australian Business delegation that accompanied me on my visit to China in March of this year. That visit, I believe, made a very significant contribution to the growth in the character of the relationship that has occurred over the last 12 months. It has led to renewed interests in investment in China and (inaudible) the characteristics of our relationship over the past 12 months have been the large number of visits that have been paid by Australian Ministers to China and the significant number of visits paid by senior members of the Chinese Government, including of course, the Vice Premier, Mr Zhu Rongi, who paid a very successful visit to Australia a few months ago.
The common participation of Australia and China in the International Monetary Funds Financial Assistance Packages, for both Indonesia and Thailand, has underlined the character of our partnership in the Asia-Pacific region. It has demonstrated the depth of the Australian commitment and the Australian involvement in our region. It has demonstrated the desire of Australia to show, in a practical way, that we are a fully participating, reliable, strong partner in this part of the world. And in that connection I am very pleased to announce tonight that Australia will establish a four year programme, worth up to $20 million, which will involve experts working closely with their Chinese counterparts on banking, finance, social security and public policy frameworks.
This particular proposal I first canvassed with the Premier of China, Li Peng - during my visit - when I expressed to him the view that Australia's public service expertise could be of particular use to China in its attempt to reform its finance, taxation and social security institutions.
I am also very pleased to note that dialogue has progressed on a variety of bilateral issues between our two countries in areas such as human rights and that contact between our armed forces is also developing extremely well. But as always, in relations between nations, the most important and the most vibrant element of the bilateral relationship between Australia and China are, of course, the people to people links.
An estimated 140,000 Australians visited China last year and more than 50,000 Chinese visitors have come to our country over the last year. And for that reason, as well as the boost that I know it will give to the tourist industry, I welcome the Chinese announcement that Australia will be designated as an official tourist destination.
Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, is also an opportunity to celebrate and to mark with gratitude the enormous contribution the Chinese people have made to the development of modern Australia. There is a strong Chinese community in many areas of Australia. The contribution to Australian life, of those people, has been immense. They are a very welcome part of the modern Australia. They have added diversity and richness, and indeed lustre and talent, to all levels of Australian society. It is not possible to contemplate the modern Australia without remarking upon the contribution of that modern Australia of the people of Chinese descent who now comprise several hundred thousand of our citizens.
I would also like to take the opportunity of saying that Australia's policies in relation to immigration are avowedly non-discriminatory. Our's is a society that does not discriminate against people in any shape or form on the basis of their colour, their race, their ethnicity, or their natural origins. And those who argue otherwise are decidedly not part of the Australian mainstream.
Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, is an opportunity to reflect with great pride on what has been achieved over the last quarter of a century since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Australia and China. But more importantly, it is an opportunity to commit ourselves with renewed energy and vigour to the development of the relationship in a far deeper and broader fashion over the next 25 years.
The association between our two countries is an association that can only endure and grow stronger if there is a commitment, on both sides, to the development of that association. We share a common destiny, a common future, together, in our part of the world. If we cooperate, we can, to our great mutual benefit, enjoy a very fruitful partnership. I think it is a great achievement that two societies - in some ways so very different, yet united by common interests and mutual respect - have been able to forge such a relationship.
And If I can be poured a glass of champagne, I'd like - after the translation - to propose a toast to the health of Mr Li and of equal importance, to the friendship of the people of China and the people of Australia.
[Ends]