On the morning of March 23, 2017 local time, Premier Li Keqiang attended and addressed the welcoming banquet held by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia at the Parliament House in Canberra. Over 400 people, including senators from both houses of the Australian Federal Parliament, personages from business, science and technology, education and other circles, and foreign envoys in Australia were present.

Li Keqiang expressed in his speech that China-Australia relations and cooperation are fairly intimate. My visit this time is firstly to promote free trade. Facing the historical trend of economic globalization, the two countries should seize the opportunity to speed up development and solve issues encountered in the process of development. All countries in the world should give full play to their respective comparative advantages and achieve win-win and all-win results in fair competition and cooperation. China is willing to strengthen relevant cooperation with Australia to jointly show the determination to safeguard trade liberalization and propel globalization to the region and the world.

Secondly, I am here to enhance regional stability and peace. To develop economy and improve people's livelihood need a stable regional environment and a peaceful international environment. "Peace is the most precious" is China's historical and cultural tradition. China unswervingly adheres to the path of peaceful development, which is not only an inheritance of tradition, but also the needs of China's realistic and even future interests. China needs peace during its development process, and will never follow the path of "power leading to hegemony" even if it becomes powerful in the future. China stands ready to, together with Australia and other relevant countries, safeguard regional peace and stability, and advance common development and prosperity.

I also come to achieve China-Australia mutual respect, deepen bilateral cooperation and enhance civilization exchanges and mutual learning. To deepen cooperation must be based on mutual respect. China always pursues an independent foreign policy of peace and adheres to the development path suitable to its national conditions. China respects Australia's choice of diplomatic policy. Things that conform to the UN Charter and universally recognized international laws and norms should be jointly propelled. As for issues emerged, they should be solved according to the rules and consensus already reached by all parties in politics, economy and other fields. China is willing to, together with Australia, advance harmonious coexistence between different civilizations, intensify people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and strengthen cooperation in education, tourism, sports and other fields, so as to open up broader prospects for the development of China-Australia relations.

Premier Li Keqiang's wife, Mme. Cheng Hong and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's wife, Mme. Lucy Turnbull were present.