Don't fear China's leadership change: Chen

22 Feb 2012, 4:27 pm   -   Source: AAP
Share This

China's looming leadership change is unlikely to alter the course of Beijing's relations with Australia, the country's top diplomat in Canberra says.

China's top diplomat in Australia has moved to reassure that his country's looming leadership change won't dramatically alter the direction of Beijing's relationship with Canberra.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping is set to replace Hu Jintao as Communist Party leader later this year and then succeed him as president in 2013.

Asked on Wednesday what implications the change might have for bilateral ties, China's Ambassador Chen Yuming suggested they would be minimal.

"China's domestic and foreign policy has been very consistent in the past years," he said at a luncheon hosted by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute in Canberra.

"So as always China will continue to follow a foreign policy (of) peace, development and cooperation.

"And also keeping a strong commitment to developing friendly relations and cooperating with other countries."

Mr Chen said every country made "timely adjustments" to its policies based on changed domestic and international circumstances.

"Such adjustments will certainly have impacts on China's home growth and also China's cooperation with our partners," he said.

"But I would say that such impacts would be positive.

"It will position us to better meet the challenges we are facing and make our cooperation with our partners like Australia more sustainable in the future."

Mr Chen was also quizzed about the potential for leadership change in Canberra, given intensifying tensions between Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd.

Asked how Beijing viewed the instability and whether it would like to see the return of the Mandarin-speaking Mr Rudd, Mr Chen said: "Thank you for your question. I think it is too difficult for me. Very risky, very challenging."

But the career diplomat - who has kept a low profile since taking up his posting in October 2010 - made it clear China would work with whoever was in power.

"In the past 40 years China has maintained very good and successful and happy cooperative relations with all the political parties in Australia, with all the governments in Australia, and with every prime minister and every foreign minister," he said.

"We are happy with this experience."

Mr Xi, who is destined to rule the emerging superpower for the next decade, garnered worldwide coverage when he visited the US for a crucial getting-to-know-you visit earlier this month.

His leadership style has been touted as more personable and friendly than that of the staid and aloof Mr Hu.

  • Follow us: 
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Youtube