Li is confident their cooperation will ‘flourish as glowingly as the flowers’

China and Australia have started in-depth negotiations to further expand their free trade agreement to other fields, especially the service and investment industries, Premier Li Keqiang said on Friday in a keynote speech in Sydney to more than 500 CEOs from both countries.

It was part of the premier’s speech at the Australia-China Economic and Trade Coopera- tion Forum in Sydney. Li and his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull met with the CEOs.

Li is on a four-day visit to Australia before heading for New Zealand on Sunday.

He said at the forum that the increase in trade between the two countries is one benefit of free trade.

The 9 percent increase in China-Australia trade last year exemplified the importance of free trade, which in part contributed to Australia’s eco-

Australian entrepreneurs are welcome to make investments in China, as we will lower the market access threshold.” Premier Li Keqiang

nomic growth for consecutive years, Li said.

“I am confident that we have the wisdom to tackle challenges resulting from protectionism. …. And I hope the economic and trade cooperation between the two partners will flourish as glowingly as the flowers in the meeting 26 room,” Li said. “Australian entrepreneurs are welcome to make investments in China, as we will lower the market access threshold.”

Jiang Zengwei, president of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, said the China-Australia FTA has expanded cooperation in