Updated: August 12, 2024 17:05（From Chinese Consulate General in Perth）
On August 12, 2024, Chinese Consul General in Perth Long Dingbin gave a written interview to the Australian Communist Party’s “Guardian”. In the interview,CG Long promoted the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the outcomes of Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Australia. He expressed a commitment to upholding the idea of building a community with a shared future for mankind, promoting practical cooperation between China and Western Australia in various fields, and advancing the development of a more mature, stable, and fruitful China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership to better benefit the peoples of both countries. The full text is as follows:
1.The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China recently concluded. Can you introduce the significance and achievements of this session?
CG Long: From July 15 to 18, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was successfully held in Beijing. It is a very important meeting held at a critical juncture of building a great country and advancing national rejuvenation in all respects through Chinese modernization. The session delved into the new circumstances and challenges facing Chinese modernization, formulated systemic plans for further deepening reform across the board, and provided an important window for the world on China’s pursuit of high-quality development and high-standard opening up in the new era. The most important outcome of the session was the adoption of Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization, a blueprint for China’s progress.
One focus of the session is the expansion of China’s high-standard opening up. The Resolution spells out in detail the next steps in the area of opening up and makes it clear that opening up is a defining feature of Chinese modernization, and that we must remain committed to the basic state policy of opening to the outside world, promote reform through opening up, and develop new institutions for a higher-standard open economy.
The plenary session stated that China must remain firm in pursuing an independent foreign policy of peace, be dedicated to promoting a community with a shared future for mankind, and foster a favorable external environment for further deepening reform comprehensively and advancing Chinese modernization. We will follow the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, fully act on the guiding principles from the third plenary session, and turn the strategic plans for further deepening reform into great momentum for major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.
2.How are you feeling about relations with Australia at the moment? Do you think they’re moving in a positive direction?
CG Long: This year marks the 10th anniversary of President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Australia and the establishment of China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership. Chinese Premier Li Qiang made a successful visit to Australia back in June this year, which is the first visit to Australia by the Chinese Premier in 7 years. As Premier Li Qiang pointed out, the most important experience drawn from the past decade of development of China-Australia relations is that the two sides should respect each other, seek common ground while shelving differences and engage in mutually-beneficial cooperation. Since Prime Minister Albanese’s visit to China last November, more progress has been made in resuming and enhancing dialogue and cooperation between China and Australia in various fields, leading to the comprehensive turnaround of bilateral relations.
3.Do you have any comments on how Chinese-Australia relations have changed in your time in the position of Consul-General ?
CG Long:As the Consul General of China in Perth from 2021, I have witnessed the havoc wreaked by the COVID-19 pandemic and observed the gradual warming and stabilization of China-Australia relations from a low point. I am committed to upholding the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, and I am willing to work hand in hand with various sectors in WA to promote pragmatic cooperation between China and WA in various fields. Together, we are dedicated to advancing the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Australia, making it more mature, stable, and fruitful for the benefit of the people of both countries.
4.How are relations with the WA government and WA businesses going?
CG Long: China has been Western Australia’s largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years, with Western Australia’s total exports to China reaching AUD 144.6 billion in the 2022-2023 fiscal year, accounting for 55% of WA’s overall exports. Among this, 85% of iron ore and 99% of lithium produced in WA are sold to China. In addition to traditional sectors such as mining resources and agriculture, there is also vast space for cooperation between the two sides in fields such as health care and medicine, e-commerce, culture, tourism, and education.
Chinese Premier Li’s visit to WA has injected more energy to China-WA cooperation. The last visit to WA by the Chinese Premier was 18 years ago. State-to-state relations ultimately boil down to people-to-people exchanges. The foundation of China-Australia relations lies in the people and has always enjoyed broad public support. We warmly welcome people from all walks of life in WA to visit China to experience the vibrant practice of Chinese-style modernization by using the unilateral visa waiver program as well as multiple-entry visas of up to three to five years’ duration for tourism, business, and visiting family members.
5. Are there aspects of Chinese society you would like to see more widely known/understood in Australia?
CG Long: The China-Australia relations are mutually beneficial in nature, and the two countries’ development is each other’s opportunities, not challenges. China's development is aimed at improving the lives of its people. It has never been about surpassing or replacing anyone, nor about competing to be the world's number one. China is ready to work with Australia to uphold the comprehensive strategic partnership, give full play to such mechanisms as the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue, expand trade, broaden cooperation in areas like new energy vehicles and renewable energy power generation, and step up exchanges and cooperation in culture, tourism and other fields and at the sub-national level. We hope that Australia will foster a fair, just and non-discriminatory environment for Chinese businesses, and provide more facilitation for travel between the two peoples.
6.Could you tell us a little about your background, and how you came to be Consul-General to Western Australia?
CG Long: I started my professional diplomatic career at the Foreign Ministry of the People’s Republic of China since August 1987. I have been posted to the Embassy of China in Malaysia and Laos and been the Consul General of China in Lahore, Pakistan. In April 2021, I was appointed as the Consul General of China in Perth.
Sub-national cooperation constitutes an important foundation for China-Australia relations. The Chinese Consulate General in Perth is both committed to promoting political, economic and trade, educational cooperation as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and WA and to boosting mutual understanding and friendship between our two peoples. The Chinese Consulate General will provide high quality consular services to both Chinese and foreign citizens.
My colleagues and I are willing to work together with WA and make contributions to the development of China-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership and China-WA friendship and cooperation.
7.Australian comrades are very interested in China, firstly because all Australians are interested in China nowadays, but also because China is the most successful communist society in the world today. Are there aspects of Chinese communism you think Australian comrades should particularly study?
CG Long: The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China summarized the valuable experience we have gained since the launch of reform and opening up, particularly from our endeavor to comprehensively deepen reform in the new era, we will implement the following principles:
Upholding the Party’s overall leadership. We must firmly uphold the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership and ensure that the Party fulfills its core role of exercising overall leadership and coordinating the efforts of all sides. We must ensure that Party leadership is exercised in every aspect and throughout the entire process of reform so that it always advances in the correct political direction.
Adhering to a people-centered approach. We must respect the principal position and pioneering spirit of the people and make our reform measures highly responsive to the call of the people, so as to ensure that reform is for the people and by the people and that its fruits are shared among the people.
Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground. Staying committed to socialism with Chinese characteristics, we must keep pace with the times, adapt to the evolution of practice, and take a problem-oriented approach, so that from a new starting point, we can promote innovations in theory and practice, in our institutions and culture, and in all other aspects.
Strengthening institutional building as our main task. We must strengthen top-level design and overall planning, always establishing new systems before abolishing old ones while attaching equal importance to efforts in both respects. We must consolidate foundational systems, refine basic systems, and innovate important systems.
Staying committed to law-based governance on all fronts. We must deepen reform and advance Chinese modernization under the rule of law and ensure unity between reform and the rule of law, seeing that all major reforms have a solid legal basis and that reform achievements are elevated to law in a timely manner.
Applying systems thinking. We must properly handle the major relationships between the economy and society, between the government and the market, between efficiency and fairness, between vitality and order, and between development and security, thus pursuing reform in a more systematic, holistic, and coordinated manner.
8.To the extent that they think about Australia at all, how do most Chinese people see Australia and Chinese-Australian relations?
CG Long: As Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out, between China and Australia, there are no historical problems or conflicts of fundamental interests. The two sides are well positioned to be partners who trust each other and contribute to each other's success. As we all know, China is Australia's largest source of tourists and international students. Australia, with its developed economy, diverse culture, and unique landscapes, is not only known as the "country riding on the back of sheep" and the "country sitting in a minecart" but also as a dynamic and innovative nation. Its beautiful landscapes, adorable kangaroos and koalas, high-quality educational resources, and delicious wine are all very popular among the Chinese public. The two governments need to create more convenient conditions for personnel exchanges, enhance mutual understanding and amity between the two peoples, and consolidate public support for friendship between the two countries.
9.Perspectives for the future: how do you see Australia and China – and their relations – developing in the future?
CG Long: China is ready to work with Australia to sustain and build on the hard-won positive momentum in bilateral ties, and jointly advance a more mature, stable and fruitful comprehensive strategic partnership to deliver more benefits to the two peoples. Furthermore, China is ready to step up coordination and cooperation with Australia at the regional and international levels, stand against bloc confrontation and a new Cold War in the interest of peace and stability in the region, stay open and inclusive, thrive together, and jointly promote regional economic integration and an open world economy.
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