Senior CPC official Wang Jiarui met Wednesday with visiting Australian Minister of Trade Simon Crean and the two sides agreed to promote the China-Australia relations to a new level.

Wang, head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), expressed his appreciation of the positive role that Crean has played to further the bilateral ties.

Wang said the CPC values its ties with Australian Labor Party, the country's ruling party, and will seize the opportunity to step up the relations with the party.

Crean applauded the close and friendly exchange and cooperation between the two parties, promising that the ruling party and the government would remain committed to cementing the bilateral pragmatic cooperation in various fields.

(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2008)