"The most impressive achievement of China since the time of liberation in 1949 is the lifting of 215 million people above the property line," Australia's first Ambassador to China said on Monday.

"This happened in a period since the beginning of the open policy and in a scale never has been known before in human history. This is an extraordinary achievement," Dr. Stephen FitzGerald told Xinhua in a telephone interview.

FitzGerald was Australia's first Ambassador to China, after Prime Minister Edward Whitlam's government established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China in 1972.

On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the founding of new China, FitzGerald said he is pleased to add his congratulations to China and the Chinese people. "I wish China and the Chinese people a great success in the next 60 years," he said in Chinese.

"This is the most significant occasion for china. I believe when we look forward, the next 60 years for China and for the Chinese people are going to be years of tremendous achievements both internally and on the world stage."

The veteran diplomat expressed his belief that "the next 60 years will see China take a place as one of the leading economic and political forces in the world."

Noting that relations between Australia and China have already become very close, FitzGerald added: "Sometimes we have ups and downs, but it often happens in relations between countries, particularly when they are very close. But the relationship is getting better and better."

Over the next generation, China's influence on Australia will grow, he said. "That is in part because of the nature of our economic relations and the fact that China is a major purchaser of Australia's natural resources, and also both a significant investor and trading partner of Australia."

All of these economic relationships mean China's growth and development contributes to Australia's prosperity, he said. And asa two-way street, he added, China is to some extent also dependent on Australia for the supply of resources and as a place of investment.

China has several hundred thousand students studying in Australia and this brings both money and talent into Australian schools and universities, he said. These students will return to China, taking jobs and making contributions in China.

A strategic view of relations with China is of particular importance for the Australian government, and a long-term strategic view and policies to match that view are able to manage differences well, he said.

"I believe the Chinese government has a long-term view which considers Australia as a stable and peace-loving country that contributes to international prosperity, peace and stability, and a significant contributor to regional relations."

"Australia also needs a long-term strategic view towards China. It has to anticipate how China will develop in the next decades and how it will affect Australia, and work out what Australia will do to make the best of the relationship."

Chinese President Hu Jintao made recently a statement in the General Debate of the UN General Assembly that there is no isolated or absolute security. No country can be safe and stable in the absence of world and regional peace and stability. "This is very welcome," FitzGerald said.

"The idea that security is tied up with the security with other nations is most important. And the conclusion one must draw from that is that we must find out security in multilateral arrangements," he added.

"Security today can be found in many kinds of multilateral arrangements. Not all of them necessarily traditional, although some are. They also can be found in nontraditional areas. So this means that regional economic arrangements are also an important contribution to regional or global security."

FitzGerald stressed that "it is most important that other countries engage with China in discussions on these issues."

"Achieving a formal institutional arrangement on security between China and various countries might not be an easy task, but it is very good to begin a dialogue on these issues," he said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 29, 2009)