On the evening of March 25, 2017 local time, Premier Li Keqiang and his wife Mme. Cheng Hong, who were visiting Sydney, Australia, attended and addressed a welcome banquet held by the Chinese community in Australia.

The Sydney Town Hall, which has a history of 150 years, was filled with Chinese Red as well as melodious music, sonorous drum and cheerful lion dance. When Premier Li Keqiang and his delegation arrived, people gathered on both sides of the central red carpet at the center of the venue and warmly welcome Premier Li Keqiang and his wife.

The event started with the national anthems of China and Australia. In the applause from more than 600 representatives of the Chinese community in Australia, Li Keqiang walked to the podium to deliver a speech. He first extended his sincere greetings and best wishes to the millions of Chinese people including students in Australia on behalf of the Chinese government and people. Li Keqiang said that during the visit in Australia these days, I deeply felt the love of the Chinese community to the motherland. You have made great contributions to the development of Australia and played a linking role in consolidating and deepening China-Australia friendship and cooperation. The achievements you have scored in Australia are and we are full of expectations for the future.

Li Keqiang gave a brief introduction to China's economic and social development. He said that China firmly supports economic globalization, trade liberalization and diversity of civilization. During my visit in Australia, the two countries have reached a great deal of consensus and jointly sent a positive signal of upholding trade and investment liberalization and facilitation as well as maintaining stability and peace in the region and world. Despite the difficulties and challenges of increasing instable and uncertain factors in the international community, China still has room for maneuver in its development. In particular, China has a big advantage in human resource due to the vast talents with higher-education background and professional skills among over 1.3 billion people. China focuses on supply-side structural reform, implements innovation-driven development strategy, propels reforms such as streamlining administration, delegating more powers to lower-level governments and society, and improving regulation and optimizing services, and encourages mass entrepreneurship and innovation to pool wisdom and strength from the general public, so as to stimulate the creativity of the society and tap market potential. With the formation of economic transformation and upgrade, China is fully capable of maintaining a medium-high economic growth and reaching medium-high levels.

Li Keqiang pointed out that as the biggest developing country, China still has a long way to go to realize modernization, which requires talents in all fields in particular. It is hoped that the Chinese community in Australia will actively invest and establish business in China, and the Chinese students will serve the motherland in various ways after their graduation. They are encouraged to give full play to their advantages, actively participate in China-Australia cooperation and China's development, and become the bridges of communication and envoys of friendship.

Premier Li Keqiang's speech aroused strong resonance among the guests who repeatedly gave warm and lasting applause in the well-known Centennial Hall--Sydney Town Hall. The banquet ended successfully in the sonorous melody of "Ode to the Motherland".