On November 20, 2012, Premier Wen Jiabao met with his Australian counterpart Julia Gillard in Phnom Penh.

Since China and Australia established diplomatic ties 40 years ago, the two countries have enjoyed a comprehensive relationship and closer connections based on mutual interests, Wen said. History has proved that China and Australia can become partners and friends with common development and friendly coexistence. China pursues an independent foreign policy of peace and an opening-up strategy featuring mutual benefit and win-win results. China is willing to enhance communication and cooperation with Australia, strengthen security and strategic mutual trust and promote the inclusive, sustainable and diversified development of the Asia Pacific region, he said.

With deepening economic interdependence amid the global financial crisis, China and Australia should promote the diversification of economic and trade relations, Wen said. China and Australia should seize the opportunity to accelerate bilateral free trade pact negotiations and support cooperation among their enterprises in energy and mining, said Wen. The two countries should broaden cooperation in services, agriculture, animal husbandry, clean energy, energy efficiency, environmental protection and infrastructure construction, he said.

Gillard said Australia and China have enjoyed a relationship of growing maturity and great achievements in cooperation in a variety of areas in the past 40 years. Australia would maintain high-level exchanges with China, establish and improve dialogue mechanisms, expand cooperation and promote bilateral ties based on mutual respect and win-win outcomes, Gillard said.