Joining hands to safeguard free trade

Premier Li Keqiang (L) addresses the 2nd Australia-China State/Provincial Leaders Forum in Sydney, Australia.[Photo/Xinhua]

During his official visits to Australia and New Zealand, Premier Li Keqiang is expected to seek new cooperation spaces to enable common growth and push forward their comprehensive strategic partnerships. Xinhua News Agency comments:

Analysts attribute the economic performances of Australia and New Zealand, which remain quite outstanding for developed economies, partly to their increasingly close economic and trade relations with China. Particularly, their free trade deals with the country, which have brought more opportunities to businesses and tangible benefits to their peoples.

Their experiences illustrate that countries around the world stand to benefit from China's continuing growth, and its efforts to push for free trade, regional integration and globalization.

By joining China's message of free trade, Australia and New Zealand are sending positive signals to the world.

In the face of a sluggish global recovery and a surge in protectionism in some Western countries, China's steady growth remains a bright spot for the global economy. With its GDP expanding by 6.7 percent last year, China contributed 33.2 percent to global economic growth. And with its GDP growth target set at around 6.5 percent this year, China is expected to remain a stabilizing source of confidence for the fragile global economy.

The Chinese Government Work Report this year reaffirmed a continued commitment to boosting free trade and investment, and the Chinese premier has recently reiterated China's support for globalization and free trade.

Li's visits will send a positive signal to the Asia-Pacific and the rest of the world that China, along with Australia and New Zealand, remains committed to promoting the liberalization and the facilitation of trade and investment, and it is seeking to safeguard regional peace, stability and prosperity.