On the afternoon of March 24, 2017 local time, Premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia jointly attended China-Australia CEO Roundtable Meeting in Sydney.

After listening to the speeches delivered by representatives from business communities of China and Australia, Li Keqiang said that the China-Australia CEO roundtable meeting is a platform for communication within business community as well as an important channel between business communities and governments of both countries. Bilateral trade has grown at an annual rate of 9 percent in the past decade, surpassing that of economic growth. The facts have shown that removing trade barriers and further promoting two-way opening-up will facilitate economic growth and improve people's livelihood. China is willing to make joint efforts with all parties including Australia to safeguard the general direction of trade liberalization and push international trade for fairer, more transparent and sustained development.

Li Keqiang pointed out that the Chinese and Australian governments should create a better trade and investment environment, expand two-way opening-up in services and investment. Chinese enterprises are ready to participate in infrastructure construction in Australia, expand investment in the country and also welcome Australian enterprises to invest and establish business in China. It is hoped that the Australian side will meet China half way to achieve win-win results.

Malcolm Turnbull expressed that in the context of profound changes in the world, free trade has promoted not only goods and capital exchanges, but also that of science and technology as well as people-to-people and cultural exchanges. Facing new opportunities brought by Australia-China economic and trade cooperation, both countries should work to benefit from open markets and global trade, actively expand free trade, encourage the participation of small businesses, and create new jobs through innovation and investment, so as to boost economic growth and benefit the two peoples.

Nearly 100 people from Chinese and Australian business communities and enterprises attended the roundtable meeting.