On April 9, 2013, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang held talks with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard at the Great Hall of the People.

Li said that the stable and healthy development of Sino-Australian relations conforms to the fundamental interests of the two countries, and is also conducive to regional and world peace, stability and development. In recent years, Sino-Australian relations have continued to flourish, the bilateral trade volume has doubled against the backdrop of the global financial crisis and cultural exchanges have been increasingly active and fruitful. The two sides officially launched the China-Australia prime ministers' annual meeting mechanism. "China would like to work with Australia to uphold the spirit of the China-Australia Joint Statement, maintain high-level visits, enhance strategic trust and establish and substantiate a strategic partnership based on mutual trust and mutual benefit," Li said. The Chinese premier and Gillard also decided to establish diplomatic and strategic dialogue, strategic economic dialogue and other mechanisms to promote communication and cooperation in multilateral ways.

Li said that China and Australia have the enabling conditions as well as the need to deepen their cooperation. The two sides should make joint efforts based on their respective development strategies to constantly upgrade cooperation.

On the economic front, Li proposed stronger finance and currency cooperation, citing a new agreement to allow the Chinese and Australian currencies to trade directly. The premier called for multiple means of cooperation in minerals and husbandry and expanded mutually beneficial collaboration in rail, ports, telecoms and other infrastructure construction. Li also urged both sides to follow the trend of regional economic integration, quicken negotiations on a China-Australia Free Trade Agreement and strive for substantive progress.

On people-to-people and cultural exchanges, he proposed making good use of such platforms as Friendship City and Confucius Institute and deepening exchanges in culture, education, science and technology, tourism and at local levels, while encouraging study exchanges among young people of the two countries so as to promote the exchange of development results between the two countries.

As beneficiaries of the stability and development of the Asia-Pacific as well as major countries in the region, China and Australia should play a leading role in building up mutual trust, solidarity and cooperation among countries in the region, increase defense exchanges and enhance communication and coordination in multilateral organizations like the United Nations, G-20 and APEC, according to Li.

Gillard said the establishment of an Australia-China strategic partnership marked the upgrade of bilateral relations. She said Australia would like to work with China based on the principle of mutual respect and mutual benefit to implement the prime ministers' regular meeting mechanism and other dialogue mechanisms between the two countries, step up macro policy coordination, promote mutual trust, push forward cooperation in all areas and make contributions to peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region.

After the talks, Li and Gillard witnessed the signing of a series of agreements covering recyclable energy, financing, drug control and development aid.

Prior to the talks, Li held a welcome ceremony for Gillard at the Square outside the East Gate of the Great Hall of the People.