From December 16 to 21, 2005, China-Australia and China-New Zealand annual political consultations of the foreign ministries were held respectively in Canberra, capital of Australia, and Wellington, capital of New Zealand. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi co-hosted the consultations with Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia Michael Lestrange and Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand Simon Murdoch respectively. Both sides exchanged in-depth views on bilateral relations, as well as international and regional issues of common interest.

Both sides made positive comments on bilateral relations, indicating that China-Australia and China-New Zealand relations enjoy a sound development momentum with effective exchanges and cooperation in various areas and broad prospect for bilateral relations. Both sides indicated that they will make joint efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation and strengthen dialogue and coordination on international and regional issues. The Australian and New Zealand sides reaffirmed their resolute adoption of the one-China policy and indicated willingness to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China in all areas and push for continuous development of bilateral comprehensive cooperative relations.

During his visits to Australia and New Zealand, Vice Foreign Minister Yang met respectively with Australian Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs Amanda Vanstone, Foreign Minister of New Zealand Winston Peters and other officials and delivered a speech titled Deepening Comprehensive Cooperation and Promoting Common Prosperity to the personages from the local academic and business communities in Melbourne.

Appendix: full text of Vice Foreign Minister Yang's speech titled Deepening Comprehensive Cooperation and Promoting Common Prosperity