China-Australia cooperation can cross the Pacific, transcend differences -- Premier Li

ADELAIDE, Australia, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang said here Sunday that so long as both sides cherish it, the cooperation between China and Australia can cross the vast Pacific Ocean, transcend differences, and achieve mutual achievements and win-win results.

He made the remarks when visiting the Adelaide Zoo for China-Australia cooperation on panda protection and research, accompanied by Governor of South Australia Frances Adamson, Premier of South Australia Peter Malinauskas, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong and Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell. Adelaide Zoo is the only Australian zoo that keeps giant pandas.

At the Panda Pavilion in Adelaide Zoo, Li heard the reports by both Chinese and Australian experts on the cooperative research on giant panda conservation between the two countries as well as the breeding and care of giant pandas in Australia.

Li said that the only pair of giant pandas in the Southern Hemisphere, Wang Wang and Fu Ni, are now living in the Adelaide Zoo. He is glad to see that though far away from homeland, Wang Wang and Fu Ni have been well looked after and settled down to live a happy life in Australia. They have become envoys of the friendship between China and Australia, and a symbol of the profound friendship between the two peoples.

The Chinese government has taken a host of measures over the years to conserve giant pandas and achieved remarkable progress in a positive contribution to the global endeavor to protect bio-diversity and endangered animals, he said.

Noting that Wang Wang and Fu Ni will return to China this year as agreed by the two sides, Li said China is ready to continue cooperation with Australia on panda protection and research, and hopes that Australia will always be a friendly home for giant pandas.

Local primary school students sang a panda-themed song in Chinese for Li, who had a cordial chat with them. Li said that they are welcome to visit China, to see the birthplace and habitat of giant pandas, appreciate China's beautiful landscape and the Chinese culture, and turn themselves into little envoys of the friendship between China and Australia.