Australia-China relations are better than ever
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-24 19:51

China's No. 2 leader concluded an Australian visit Tuesday, meeting with Prime Minister John Howard and declaring that relations between the two countries were better than ever.

Wu Bangguo, the chairman of China's National People's Congress, said he had a candid conversation with Howard and that the two leaders had ``reached broad consensus on bilateral relations, (the) international situation and other major issues of a shared interest.''

``China-Australia relations are at their best shape in our history,'' Wu said through an interpreter at a dinner held in his honor at Parliament House.

Wu flies to New Zealand Wednesday after the six-day visit to Australia, which focused on gas and iron ore export infrastructure.

Australia will begin delivering liquid natural gas to China's Guangdong province next year as part of a 25 billion Australian dollar (US$19 billion; euro15 billion) supply contract _ Australia's largest-ever export deal.

Wu's visit to Sydney on Monday coincided with the beginning of negotiations on a free trade agreement between the two countries.

The decision to negotiate the pact was announced last month while Howard was in Beijing.