E&OE
Prime Minister, thank you very much for your fine words.
Can I acknowledge you, and Jodie Haydon as well.
To Ministerial and Parliamentary colleagues.
To Your Excellency, thank you very much to you and your delegation.
You are most welcome here as dear friends and guests.
To all of the distinguished guests gathered today; I hope it sends to you Premier, a very clear message of how we regard the relationship and how we intend to continue to work with you.
Echoing the sentiments of Prime Minister Albanese – and on behalf of the Coalition and the Federal Opposition – I do welcome you most sincerely to Australia’s great Parliament.
We dine together today to acknowledge the Australia-China bilateral relationship.
Citizens are at the centre of any bilateral relationship.
So through you, Your Excellency, I convey the Coalition’s warm wishes to the people of China.
When President Deng chose to open-up the Chinese economy in 1978, he didn’t just change a nation.
He also changed the fate of the Chinese people with hundreds-of-millions of citizens lifted out of poverty.
In the decades that followed – as nations witnessed and welcomed China’s economic emergence – the Australian and Chinese people created many new pipelines of business, trade and migration.
Indeed, just the other day it was reported that China’s need for Australia’s quality thermal coal has generated electricity for thousands of your citizens and generated thousands of jobs here in Australia.
That is just one of many examples of how both our peoples benefit from these enduring pipelines.
Your Excellency:
In acknowledging the achievement of the Chinese people, I also take this opportunity to celebrate Australians of Chinese ancestry.
Not only the migrants from China who have become first generation Australians.
But also the second, third and subsequent generations of Australians of Chinese ancestry.
They have helped to build our nation.
They have succeeded in many fields of endeavour.
They cherish Australia.
And as our fellow Australians, we cherish them.
Your Excellency:
In our offer of hospitality today – and your acceptance of it – I believe that there is hope.
Hope that tensions of recent years can ameliorate.
Hope that we can reinvigorate the constructive spirit which defined our signing of a Free Trade Agreement in 2015.
Citizens across both of our countries share aspirations for peace and prosperity – for themselves and of course, their families.
In pursuit of those aspirations, we have a responsibility to ensure that all engagements between our two countries are conducted with due care.
Similarly, we should always use our influence to deter other nations who initiate conflict or sponsor terrorism.
Your Excellency:
I look forward to engaging with you during our meeting this afternoon in a spirit of hope and speaking honestly about recent events.
Our children – here in Australia, and of course, China, in the region, and around the world – must look back on this era as one where political leaders – equipped with hindsight and foresight – chose stability and peace.
That is the only path to forge prosperity anew and shared.
Thank you so much.
[ends]