Senior Australian ministers visit China for strategic dialogue

CANBERRA - Australia's Treasurer Joe Hockey and Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb on Saturday depart for China to attend the inaugural Australia-China Strategic Economic Dialogue.

The dialogue provides an opportunity for Australia and China to explore opportunities for closer economic ties and to discuss issues within the global economic environment, a joint statement by the treasurer and the minister said.

The dialogue will be held in Beijing on June 24, 2014.

The Australia-China economic and trade relationship continues to steadily expand. China is now Australia's largest two-way trading partner in goods and services, according to the statement.

The Australian government is pushing to conclude a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China within this year to further strengthen and diversify its economic relationship with China.

As part of the dialogue, Hockey and Robb will hold discussions with the chairman of China's top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

On the agenda for this year's dialogue are ways to encourage greater two-way trade and investment, closer financial co-operation and opportunities to collaborate in the two countries' respective G20 and APEC host years.

Hockey will reaffirm Australia's interest in working with China to enhance offshore market development of China's currency, the yuan, the statement said.

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