On April 12, 2008, Chinese President Hu Jintao met with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in Sanya, Hainan Province.

Hu pointed out that China has always attached importance to China-Australia relationship and regarded Australia as an important and long-term partner of China. In recent years, China-Australia relationship has witnessed substantial progress. The two countries have maintained a frequent exchange of high-level visits and visits at various levels, with the political trust in each other increasingly consolidated. The cooperation in trade and investment is also developing robustly. The cooperation in such areas as culture, education, science and technology is seeing new headways. The two countries had close communications and cooperation in regional affairs and major international affairs. It is well proved by the facts that the good relationship between China and Australia will not only bring tremendous benefits to the people but also benefit the peace, stability and development of the Asia-Pacific region.

President Hu stressed that China and Australia, as two important nations in the Asia-Pacific region, enjoy extensive common interest and solid foundation for cooperation. The two countries are now standing before a new historical starting point and facing important opportunities for further cooperation. He hoped that the two countries could seize the opportunities and make further efforts in the following areas: firstly, the two countries should always view the bilateral relationship from a long-term and strategic perspective, expand common interests, and advance the dialogues, exchanges and cooperation in all fronts; secondly, the two countries, with the economies highly complementary, should particularly strengthen cooperation in energy, resource, environmental protection and service, and strive to build up a long-term and stable economic and trade ties on the basis of mutual benefits; thirdly, the two countries should respect and care for each other's interest and properly deal with the sensitive issues in bilateral relations so as to ensure the uninterrupted development of China-Australia relationship; and fourthly, the two countries should intensify the cultural, education and people-to-people exchanges and consolidate the social foundation of China-Australia relationship.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd expressed his complete agreement with the views and suggestions made by President Hu concerning bilateral ties. He reaffirmed that Australia would like to become an accountable partner of China and a long-term and reliable energy and resources supplier to China. Rudd said that the political relations between Australia and China are developing well and the engagements and dialogues between the leaders of the two countries are moving deeper and further, which have strongly boosted the development of bilateral relations. Australia views China as a long-term partner. Our goal is to develop the existing good relationship into a stronger, broader and deeper bilateral relationship and push forward the bilateral cooperation in all fronts, including regional and global issues such as climate change and sustainable development. Australia regards energy and resource cooperation, trade of industrial products and exchange of service industry as the three pillars for the economic and trade cooperation between Australia and China and hopes to establish stronger economic links with China. Australia also hopes to expand the exchanges between parliaments, political parties and people as well as the exchanges in sports and culture.

Talking about the violent crimes in Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, and some other places, Hu stressed that all these incidents were not "peaceful demonstrations" or "non-violent" actions proclaimed by some people, but sheer violent crimes. No responsible government will sit idle for such crimes, which gravely encroach human rights, severely disrupt social order and seriously jeopardize the life and property security of the masses.

Hu pointed that the affairs in Tibet are entirely internal affairs of China. Our conflict with the Dalai clique is not an ethnic problem, a religious problem, or a human rights problem. It is a problem either to safeguard national unification or to split the motherland.

Hu stressed that the door for dialogue between the central government and the Dalai Lama is open. The barrier to contacts and talks does not lie on our side, but on the side of the Dalai Lama. If the Dalai Lama has the sincerity, he should put it into action. As long as the Dalai side stops activities splitting the motherland, stops activities scheming and instigating violence, and stops activities sabotaging the Beijing Olympic Games, we are ready to continue contacts and talks with him at any time.

Rudd stressed that Australia fully recognizes China's sovereignty over Tibet and Taiwan. The one-China policy adopted by Australia remains unchanged. Australia hopes to become a sincere friend of China. It is a long-term strategy of Australia to develop long-term, friendly and cooperative ties with China. He also wished the Beijing Olympic Games a success.

Other Leaders present at the meeting were Ling Jihua, Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, Wang Huning, Member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Policy Research Office of the CPC Central Committee, and State Councilor Dai Bingguo.