I. Bilateral Political Relationship in Retrospect Since the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Australia on December 21,1972, bilateral relations have been by and large developing smoothly. Leaders of the two countries have maintained frequent exchanges of visits and contacts. Visits from China to Australia include: In September 1977, Ulanhu, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress led a delegation to visit Australia. In March 1979,Vice Premier Chen Muhua paid a visit to Australia. During the visit, she met with the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser. In May 1980, Vice Premier Li Xiannian visited Australia during which he held talks with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser. The two governments agreed to establish regular political consultation mechanism on vice ministerial level between the two countries' foreign ministries. In April, 1981, Mr. Huang Zhen, Chinese Minister for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, paid a visit to Australia during which the two governments signed Agreement on Cultural Cooperation between China and Australia. In April 1985, Mr. Hu Yaobang, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), visited Australia and held talks with Australian Prime Minister Robert Hawke. After the talks, the two sides issued a joint press communique on Sino-Australian Economic Cooperation. In September 1986, Vice Premier Wan Li paid a visit to Australia, during which Mr. Wan Li and Australian Prime Minister Robert Hawke jointly declared the establishment of the China-Australia Joint Ministerial Economic Commission (JMEC). In November 1988, Premier Li Peng paid an official visit to Australia. During the visit, Premier Li held talks with Australian Prime Minister Robert Hawke and met with the Honorable Sir Ninian Steven, Governor General of Australia. China established consulates general in Sydney and Melbourne respectively in March 1979 and September 1986. Mr. Li Lanqing, Chinese Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation led a delegation to attend the fifth meeting of the China-Australia Joint Ministerial Economic Commission in December 1991. Vice Premier Zhu Rongji and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen visited Australia in February and June 1992 respectively. In November 1993, President Jiang Zemin met with Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating during the APEC Informal Leadership Meeting in Seattle. In 1993, Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen held meetings with Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans on four separate multilateral occasions of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) signing ceremony in Paris, ASEAN Post Ministerial Dialogue Meeting in Singapore, the 48th UN General Assembly in New York and APEC Ministerial Meeting in Seattle. Mr. Tian Jiyun, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) led a NPC delegation to visit Australia in May 1994. In that year, Mr. Li Tieying, State Councilor and Minister of the State Commission for Restructuring Economic System, Mr. Qiao Shi, Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee and Mr. Song Jian, Minister of State Science and Technology Commission also paid respective visits to Australia in June, November and December President Jiang Zemin met once again with Prime Minister Paul Keating during the APEC Informal Leadership Meeting in Indonesia. 1995 saw the visits to Australia by State Councilor Chen Junsheng in February, Vice Premier Zou Jiahua in June, Mr. Wen Jiabao, Alternate Member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee in October and Mr. Wang Bingqian, Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee in November. Also in November, President Jiang Zemin for the third time met with Prime Minister Paul Keating during the APEC Informal Leadership Meeting in Osaka, Japan. In December, Ismail Amat, Chinese State Councilor and Minister of State Nationalities Affairs Commission visited Australia. In July 1996, Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen met with his Australian counterpart, Mr. Downer during the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meeting in Jakarta. In September, Vice Chairwoman Lei Jieqiong of the NPC Standing Committee visited Australia. In November, President Jiang Zemin met with Prime Minister John Howard on the sideline of the Informal Leadership Meeting of APEC in Manila. In 1997, visits to Australia by Chinese leaders include: Mr. Ding Guangen, Member of the Politburo and Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Justice Xiao Yang in April, Vice Premier Zhu Rongji in May, Mr. Wan Guoquan, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in November and Chairman Li Ruihuan of the CPPCC in December. During the visit, Chairman Li Ruihuan attended celebration activities marking the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Australia. In November, President Jiang Zemin for the second time met with Australian Prime Minister John Howard during the APEC Informal Leadership Meeting in Vancouver. In 1998, Minister of Supervision Cao Qingze visited Australia in February and Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region made the first visit to Australia in his present capacity in June. In September, Mr. Wei Jianxing, Member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo and Secretary of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, met with Australian Governor General William Deane, President of the Senate Margaret Reid and Foreign Minister Downer respectively during his transit stopover in Australia in September. In November, President Jiang Zemin held his third meeting with Prime Minister John Howard on the sideline of the Informal Leadership Meeting of APEC in Kuala Lumpur. In August 1999, Mr. Han Zhubin, Procurator General of the Supreme People's Procuratorate visited Australia. During the visit he met with Australian Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Amanda Vanstone, and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. In September, at the invitation of the Hon. Sir William Patrick Deane, Governor General of Australia, President Jiang Zemin paid a five-day state visit to Australia. This was the first visit to Australia ever by the Chinese head of state. During the visit, President Jiang met with the Governor General and other Australian leaders. President Jiang held talks with Prime Minister John Howard. Both sides agreed to actively promote the expansion of cooperation into new areas and to establish the 21st century-oriented Sino-Australia relationship of long-term stability, healthy development and all-around cooperation. In the meantime, both sides agreed that, while strengthening the existing mechanism for dialogue and consultation between the two countries, a regular meeting mechanism will be set up for the two countries' top leaders and foreign ministers to meet once every year. The two sides signed five documents on cooperation in areas of mining, energy, consular affairs and combating crimes. In October, Mr. Wang Zhaoguo, Vice Chairman of CPPCC, visited Australia and met with Senator Margaret Reid, President of the Senate, the Hon. Neil Andrew MP, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Foreign Minister Downer. Also in October, Mr. Jia Qinglin, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee visited Australia and met with Deputy Prime Minister Anderson and Foreign Minister Downer. In February 2000, Mr. Zhou Guangzhao, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, visited Australia during which he met with Governor-General Deane, President of the Senate Margaret Reid, Speaker of the House of Representative Neil Andrew, and Foreign Minister Downer. In March, Mr. Zeng Qinghong, Alternate Member of the Politburo, Member of Secretariat and Minister of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee visited Australia. During the visit, he met with Australian Prime Minister the Hon. John Howard, Minister for Trade, the Hon. Mark Vaile and the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Kim Beazley, etc. In August 2000, Mr. Li Peng, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China met with Australian President of the Senate Margaret Reid during the Conferences of Presiding Officers of National Parliaments in New York. In March and August, 2001, Minister of Supervision He Yong and Minister of Justice Zhang Fusen visited Australia respectively. In October, President Jiang Zemin met with Australian Prime Minister John Howard on the sideline of the Informal Leadership Meeting of APEC  in Shanghai. In November, Vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Buhe visited Australia and met with President of the  Senate Margaret Reid. In March 2002, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan paid an official visist to Australia, during which he met with Governor-General Peter Hollingworth, Acting Prime Minister Anderson, opposition leader Simon Crean and held talks with Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. In April, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Secretary of Shangdong Provincial Party Committee Wu Guanzheng visited Australia, during which he met with the Acting Prime Minister Anderson and Foreign Minsiter Alexander Downer. In June, Vice-Chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Peng Peiyun visited Australia as the head of the China Red Cross Society delegation, and met with President of the Senate Margaret Reid. In September, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Li Peng paid an official visit to Australia, during which he met with Governor-General Peter Hollingworth, Prime Minister John Howard, Speaker of the House of Representatives Neil Andrew, President of the Senate Paul Calvert and the opposition leader Simon Crean. In December, Mr. Yang Rudai, Vice Chairman of CPPCC visited Australia and attended celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia. During the visit, he met with Mr. John Hogg, the Acting President of the Senate of the Federal Parliament of Australia. On 21 December, Premier Zhu Rongji and Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan exchanged congratulatory messages on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries with Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer respectively. On 20 December, Li Peng, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress attended the reception celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, which was held in Beijing. Since 1972, important visits to China by Australian leaders include: In October 1973, Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam paid an official visit to China, during which he held talks with Premier Zhou Enlai and met with Chairman Mao Zedong and Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping. Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser visited China in June 1976. Mr. A.A. Street, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, visited China in January 1981. Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser visited China in August 1982. In February 1984, Prime Minister Robert Hawke visited China, As one of the results of the visit, Australian government opened its Consulate General in Shanghai in July 1984. The Hon. John Charles Kerin, Minister for Primary Industries of Australia visited China in May 1984 and signed an agreement on agricultural cooperation with Mr. He Kang, Chinese Minister of Agriculture. Prime Minister Robert Hawke made his second official visit to China in May 1985. On May 20th, ,an agreement on investment by China International Investment Corporation (CITIC) in Portland Smeltery in Australia was officially signed in the Great Hall of the People. Foreign Minister Gareth Evans visited China in January 1989 and held talks with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen. The Hon. Gareth Evans, Minister for Foreign Affairs visited China respectively in 1991 and 1992. In November 1992,the Hon. John Kerin, Minister for Trade and Overseas Development came to China to attend the sixth meeting of the Australia-China Joint Ministerial Economic Commission held in Beijing. In the same year, Australia opened its Consulate General in Guangzhou. In June 1993, Prime Minister Paul Keating paid an official visit to China. During the visit, he emphasized that Australia would further adjust its China policy and develop further ties with China and other Asian countries. The Hon. William George Hayden , Governor General of Australia, and Foreign Minister Gareth Evans visited China respectively in April 1994. The Hon. Brian Howe, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Housing and Regional Development paid a visit to China in June that year. The Hon. Stephen Martin, Speaker of the House of Representatives visited China in June and Governor General Hayden paid an unofficial visit to China in October 1995. The Hon. Robert Hill, Minister for the Environment visited China in July 1996. The Hon. Philip Ruddock, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Tim Fischer visited China respectively in August. The Hon. Robert Halverson, Speaker of the House of Representatives led a delegation to participate in the 96th General Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union held in Beijing. Prime Minister John Howard paid an official visit to China in March 1997, during which he stressed that Australia and China should develop cooperation in various fields on the basis of mutual respect and mutual benefit. In April, a delegation of Australia-China Group of the Australian Parliament visited China. In June, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, representing Australia, attended the Hong Kong Handover Ceremony. In August, the Australian government published Australia's Foreign and Trade Policy White Paper in which Australia-China relations was listed as one of the four major bilateral relations alongside with Indonesia, Japan and the United States. In the same month, senior foreign ministry officials from both countries held discussions in Beijing on bilateral relations and issues of common concern, including human rights issue. Also in August, the Hon. John Moore, Minister for Industry, Science and Tourism visited China and the Hon. John Sharp, Minister for Transport and Regional Development came to China to attend the ceremony for celebrating the Ansett Airline's inaugural flight to China. Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer paid another visit to China in September. Apart from all these visits, Senator the Hon. Jocelyn Newman, Minister for Social Security, the Hon. Philip Ruddock, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and Treasurer Peter Costello paid separate visits to China that year. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer made another visit to China in December. In May 1998, President of the Senate Margaret Reid visited China and met with Li Peng, Chairman of NPC and Li Ruihuan, Chairman of CPPCC. In July, in a Press release, Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer announced that Australia would provide A$150,000 worth of emergency assistance for China's flood stricken areas via the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. In August, the Hon. Sir William Deane, Governor General of Australia wrote to Chinese President Jiang Zemin, expressing sympathy to the people of China over the devastation caused by major flooding. In the same month, the second round of human rights dialogue between China and Australia was held in Beijing, In April 1999, a delegation of Australian-China Group of the Australian Parliamentary made its second visit to China and Minister for Justice and Customs Senator Vanstone visited China. In May, the Hon Tim Fischer, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade visited China. In July, Attorney-General Daryl Williams and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer visited China respectively and the third round of Sino-Australia human rights dialogue was held in Beijing. In September, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative, the Hon. Garry Nehl visited China during which he also went to Tibet Autonomous Region.. Also in September, the Hon. J. Newman, Minister for Family and Community Services, and Chief Justice Murry Gleeson visited China. In November, the Hon. Ruddock, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, visited China. During his visit, Mr. Ruddock met with State Councillor Luo Gan. Both sides exchanged views on furthering cooperation on combating illegal immigration. In December, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, representing Australia, attended the Macao Handover Ceremony. In January 2000, Senator the Hon. Nicholas Hugh Minchin, Minister for Industry, Science and Resources visited China and was met by President Jiang Zemin. In April, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer attended the annual Asia Leaders' Forum in Beijing and met with Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan. In May, Senator the Hon. Robert Hill, Minister for Environment and Heritage, the Hon. Mark Vaile, Minister for Trade and the Hon. Garry Nehl, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative visited China successively. In December, Senator the Hon. Richard Alston, Minister for Communicaton, Information Technology and the Arts visited China. In April 2001, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Transport and Regional Services John Anderson visited China, during which Premier Zhou Rongji met with him and Vice-Premier Wu Bangguo held talks with him. In May, Minister for the Environment and Heritage Robert Hill visited China. In June, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer paid a working visit to Hong Kong Sepcial Administrative Region (HKSAR). In October, Prime Minister John Howard and Foreign Minister Alexander Downer attended the APEC meetings in Shangshai. In November,  Minister for Finance and Administration John Fahey came to China to attend a symposium on China-Australia  relations and met with Vice Premier Qian Qichen. In April 2002, Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources Ian Macfarlane, Minister for Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenuous Affairs Philip Ruddock and Minister for Family and Community Services Amanda Vanstone visited China repectively. In May, Prime Minister John Howard paid a working visit to China, during which President Jiang Zemin and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Li Peng met with him and Premier Zhu Rongji held talks with him. In July, Speaker of the House of Representatives Neil Andrew visited China, during which Chairman Li Peng and Vice Chairman Buhe of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress met with him respectively. In November, Mr. Alexander Downer, Foreign Minister of Australia attended the opening ceremony of ?Celebrate Australia 2002? in Shanghai. Mr. Alan Ferguson, Chairman of the Federal Parliament Joint Standing Committee of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, visited China and met with Chairman Li Peng. March 2003, Ms. Judith Moylan, Chairman of the Federal Parliament Australia-China Friendship Group, leading a group of members of the Parliament, visited China. II. Economic and Technical cooperation and trade relations Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia, bilateral economic and trade relations have seen a continuous and stable development In 1978, the Australian government granted Generalized Preferential Treatment to China. In 1981, the two governments signed The Agreement on Economic Cooperation and The Program for Promoting the Development of Technical Cooperation. In 1986, the two governments set up Joint Ministerial Economic Commission (JMEC), under which 10 working groups were established. In 1988, the Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Australia for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income was signed. In May 1999, the Hon Tim Fischer, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade visited China and presided together with Shi Guangsheng , the Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. the Ninth Meeting of the China-Australia Joint Ministerial Economic Commission . Prior to the visit to Beijing by the Hon. Tim Fischer, , China and Australia reached agreement on the Model Wool Contract. In July 1999, during the visit to China by the Hon. Alexander Downer, Minister for Foreign Affairs, the two governments issued a joint press communique announcing the official conclusion of the bilateral market access negotiation between China and Australia in relation to China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). In May 2000, Australian Minister for Trade, the Hon. Mark Vaile visited China and officially signed with Mr. Shi Guangsheng, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation of China the Minutes of Australia and the People's Republic of China on Bilateral Negotiation on China's Accession to the World Trade Organization. In September, Mr. Shi Guangsheng, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation attended the World Economic Forum East Asia/ Pacific Economic Summit in Melbourn, Australia. In October, Deputy Secretary Allan Thomas of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade paid a visit to China, co-chairing the inter-sectional consultation of the China-Australia Joint Ministerial Economic Commission with Mr. Sun Zhenyu, Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation of China. In June 2001, Australian Minister for Trade Mark Vaile attended the APEC trade ministers meeting in Shanghai, China, during which Chinese Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Shi Guangsheng met with him. In November, Vice-Minister of the Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Zhang Xiang visited Australia. In August 2002, China chose the Australian Liquefied Natural Gas Corporation (ALNG) as the resource supplier for the Guangdong LNG project. In October, China and Australia officially signed the supply contract of the project. According to the statistics of Chinese Customs, total trade volume between China and Australia in 1997 reached US$5.3 billion, an increase of 3.8% over the previous year. In 1998, due to the Asian financial crisis, bilateral trade volume decreased by 5.2% as compared with that of 1997 with a total value of US$5.03 billion, among which China's export to Australia totaled US$2.34 billion, an increase of 13.9% over 1997, and import, US$2.69 billion, a decrease of 17.2%. (The statistics of Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade indicate that in 1997/1998 fiscal year, trade volume between China and Australia totaled A$9.176 billion, an 18% increase over the previous year.) According to the statistics of Chinese Customs, bilateral trade volume reached US$6.311 billion in 1999 with an increased of 25% over the same period of last year. In 2000, bilateral trade volume amounted to US$8.453 billion, an increase of 33.9% over 1999. In 2001, the total bilateral trade volume was US$8.997 billion, 8% increase over the previous year. In 2002, trade volume between China and Australia reached US$10.436 billion, 16% increase over 2001. Among which, China's export totaled US$4.586 billion, an increase of 28.5%. Import from Australia was US$5.85 billion, an increase of 7.8% over 2001. Significant progress was achieved in two-way investments. According to China's statistics, Australia-invested projects in China reached 5,288 with actual investment of US$2.828 billion. China invested 215 projects in Australia with a contractual investment value of about US$1.57 billion. At present, China is Australia's third largest trading partner (according to Australian statistics, Hong Kong Sepcial Administrative Region excluded) while Australia is China's nineth largest trading partner(according to Chinese statistics). III. Exchanges in culture, education, science and technology. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, exchanges in the fields of culture, education, sports, science and technology between China and Australia have seen a continuous development. During 1970's and 1980's, the two governments sign a number of documents including the agreements on science and technology and cultural cooperation ,agreement on civil aviation and the memorandum on educational exchanges. In 1991, the two governments signed an agreement on cultural cooperation, in which both sides agreed to hold meetings in each other's capital every other year to identify exchange projects for the next two years. In recent years, exchanges in the field of culture, sports, science and technology, academic research and tourism have been further strengthened. At the end of 1997 the Chinese government approved Australia as one of the destinations for Chinese tourists. In Feb.1998, Mr. Andrew Thompson, Australian Minister for Sports and Tourism paid a visit to China. In April, China approved Colonial Mutual, an Australian insurance company, to engage in life insurance business in Shanghai. In June, Mr. Wu Shaozu, President of the Chinese Olympic Committee and Minister of State Administration for Sports of China, visited Australia and signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Field of Sports between State Administration for Sports of China and the Australian Sports Commission. Mr. Xu Wenbo, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, paid a visit to Australia from June 24 to July 1. Mr. Xu and his Australian counterpart presided over the 9th meeting of the China-Australia Culture Joint Committee and signed the Implementing Program for Culture Exchanges in 1998 and 1999 under the Agreement on Cultural Cooperation between the Government of Australia and the Government of the People's Republic of China. In December, a ceremony for the inauguration of the People's Daily Overseas Edition in Australia was held in Sydney. Hon. Mr. Alexander Downer, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Hon. Mr. John Moore, Minister of Defense were invited to attend. In April 1999,the two governments reached agreement on the detailed arrangements in relation to the Chinese tourists visiting Australia and both sides exchanged letters. The relevant travel service became available starting from July. In the same month, upon the invitation of the Ministry of Education of China, the Hon. David Kemp, Australian Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs, paid a visit to China. Vice Premier Li Lanqing met with him. During the visit, the two governments signed a Memorandum on the Cooperation between China and Australia in the Education and Training Area. During President Jiang Zeming's visit in September, China and Australia signed five documents on cooperation in areas of consular affairs, mining, energy, and combating crimes. In January 2000, the Hon. Nicholas Hugh Minchin, Minister for Industry, Science and Resources visited China, during which he and Zhu Lilan, the Minister of the Science and Technology of PRC ,signed Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Industry, Science and Resources of Australia and the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China on the Establishment of a Special Fund for Scientific and Technological Cooperation. In April, Mr. Sun Jiazheng, Minister of Culture, paid an official visit to Australia. In September, Mr. Yuan Weimin, Minister in charge of State Administration for Sports, and Mr. He Guangwei, Chairman of China National Tourism Administration ,visited Australia successively. In February 2001, Ausralian Minister for Health and Ageing Wooldridge visited China at the invitation of the Chinese Minister of Health Zhang Wenkang. In April, the fourth meeting of the China-Australia Joint Science and Technology Commission was held in Australia. In November, China Tibet Culture Week was held in Melbourne and Sydney respectively. In September 2002, Beijing Culture Festival was held in Australia. In November, ?Celebrate Australia 2002? took place in Shanghai. IV. Military Exchanges Military exchanges between China and Australia started in 1978. In 1982, the two governments exchanged military attaches. Before 1989, there were some exchanges between the two armed forces with visits mostly coming in one direction from Australia and very few from China to Australia. Since 1990s, there has been a gradual increase of exchanges between the two armed forces. In September 1996, General John S. Baker, Chief of the Australian Defense Forces paid a formal visit to China. Air Marshal Fisher, Chief of Staff of the Royal Air Force and Vice Admiral Christopher Barrie, Deputy Chief of Defense Forces visited China respectively in May and June 1997. At the end of August, three Australian naval vessels made port calls to Qingdao. In 1998, new progress was made in the relations between the two armed forces. In February, at the invitation of Australian Minister for Defense, the Hon. Ian Mclachlan, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China, State Councilor and Minister of Defense, General Chi Haotian visited Australia. This was the first visit ever by the Chinese Minister of Defense to Australia since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In April, Lieutenant General John M. Sanderson, Chief of Army visited China and General Chi Haotian met with him. In May, for the first time, three Chinese naval vessels visited Sydney. At the end of July, Major General John Connoly, Commander of Australian Theater Command visited China. In November, Australian vessels visited Shanghai. In Jan. 1999, General Fu Quanyou, the Chief of General Staff visited Australia. In May, Australian Minister for Defense John Moore visited China. In October, Air Marshal Douglas Riding, Deputy Chief of the Australian Defense Forces paid a visit to China. At the invitation of Admiral Christopher Barrie, Chief of Defense Forces, General Yu Yongbo, Director of the PLA General Political Department led a delegation to visit Australia. In the same month, Australian naval vessels visited Shanghai. Admiral Christopher Barrie, Chief of the Australian Defense Forces ,and Air Vice Marshal Robert Treloar, Commander of Australian Theater Command, visited China in April and June of 2000,respectively. In September, the Australian naval vessels visited Shanghai. In November, Lieutenant General Xiong Guangkai, Deputy Chief of General Staff, and General Yuan Shoufang, Deputy Director of the PLA General Political Department ,visited Australia successively. In March 2001, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China Zhang Wannian visited Australia. The Australian Minister for Defence Peter Reith visited China. In October, Chinese naval vessels made port calls to Sydney. In April and October 2002, Qian Shugen and Xiong Guangkai, both Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the PLA, visited Australia successively. In May 2003, Lieutenant General Peter Leahy, Australian Chief of Army, visited China. V. Important Communiques and agreements between China and Australia On December 21, 1972, Mr. Huang Zhen, Chinese Ambassador to France and Mr. Alan Renouf, Australian Ambassador to France, signed the Joint Communique of the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Australia concerning the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations, on behalf of their respective governments. On July 24, 1973, the Trade Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Australia was concluded, according to which the Most Favoured Nation Status was granted to each other and a joint trade committee was established. On October 8, 1976, Mr. Ma Wenbo, Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mr. Stephen Fitzgerald, Australian Ambassador to China signed, on behalf of their respective governments, the Memorandum of Understanding on the Question of Chinese Nationals Traveling to Australia. On June 6, 1979, during his visit to China, Hon. Andrew Peacock, Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs initialed the Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement between the Government of the PRC and the Government of Australia with his Chinese counterpart Mr. Huang Hua. That agreement was officially signed by China's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Zhang Wenjin and Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Andrew Peacock on May 6, 1980. On April 29, 1981, during his visit to Australia, Mr. Huang Zhen, Minister of the Commission for External Cultural Relations of China signed with the Australian side the Agreement on Cultural Cooperation between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Australia. On October 2, 1981, the two governments signed Agreement on Technical Cooperation, according to which Australian government would provide A$50 million worth of aid to China within the years from 1981 to 1985. On September 7, 1984, during his visit to China, Hon. Kim Beazley, Australia's Minister for Aviation and Mr. Shen Tu, Minister of the Civil Aviation Administration of China signed the Civil Aviation Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Australia . Mr. Hu Yaobang, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China visited Australia from 13 to 18 of April 1985. During his visit, the two sides issued the Press Communique on Sino-Australia Economic Cooperation. On July 11, 1988, Mr. Zheng Tuobin, China's Minister of Foreign Trade and Hon. William Hayden, Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade signed in Beijing, on behalf of their respective governments, the Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Australia on the Encouragement and Reciprocal Protection of Investments. On June 29, 1991,the two sides signed the Minutes of the First China-Australia Joint Science and Technology Commission Meeting and more than 20 projects in 8 fields were identified for cooperation. Mr. Richardson, Australia's Minister For Transport and Communication visited China from 2 to 10 of January 1992. During the visit, Mr. Richardson signed, on behalf of the Ministry of Social Security of Australia, a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese side. In June, 1998, Mr. Wu Shaozu, Minister of the State Sports General Administration of China and President of the Olympic Committee of China, led a Chinese sports delegation to visit Australia, during which he signed with the Australian side the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Fields of Sports between the State Sports General Administration of China and the Australian Sports Commission. On April 22, 1999, the Director General He Guangwei of the National Tourism Administration of China exchanged letters in Shanghai with the Australian Ambassador to China on the detailed implementation arrangements for Chinese tourists traveling to Australia. On September 8, 1999, during President Jiang Zemin's state visit to Australia, the following five agreements were signed: (a):the Memorandum of Understanding between the State Development Planning Commission of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Industry, Science and Resources of Australia on Cooperation on Trade and Investment in the Mining and Energy Sector; (b):the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Land and Resources of the People's Republic of China and the Department of Industry, Science and Resources of Australia on Cooperation in the Mining Sector; (c): the Agreement on Consular Relations between the People's Republic of China and Australia; (d): the Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Australia concerning the Continuation of the Consular Functions by Australia in the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China; (e): the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Australia on Cooperation in Combating Crime. JOINT COMMUNIQUE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN CHINA AND AUSTRALIA The Government of the People's Republic of China and the Australian Government, in conformity with the interests and common desire of the two peoples, have decided upon mutual recognition and the establishment of diplomatic relations as from December 21,1972. The two Governments agree to develop their diplomatic relations, friendship and cooperation between the two countries on the basis of the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence. The Australian Government recognizes the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government of China, acknowledges the position of the Chinese Government that Taiwan is a province of the People's Republic of China, and has decided to remove its official representation from Taiwan before January 25,1973. The Government of the People's Republic of China appreciates the above stand of the Australian Government. The two Governments have agreed to exchange ambassadors as soon as the administrative formalities and the practical arrangements have been completed, and to provide each other with all the necessary assistance for the establishment and performance of the functions of diplomatic missions in their respective capitals on the basis of equality and mutual benefit and in accordance with international law and practice.