Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, holds talks with Walter Rosenkranz, president of the National Council of Austria, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 31, 2026. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), held talks with Walter Rosenkranz, president of the National Council of Austria, in Beijing on Monday.
Noting this year marks the 55th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Austria, Zhao said China is ready to work with Austria to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, consolidate traditional friendship, and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.
Zhao called on the two sides to maintain the sound momentum of high-level exchanges and strengthen policy communication, enhance cooperation in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital economy and green development, and adopt more practical measures to facilitate two-way travel and people-to-people exchanges.
The two sides should also jointly uphold the authority and status of the United Nations (UN), as well as free trade and the multilateral trading system, Zhao added. China is ready to properly resolve differences and frictions in economic and trade cooperation with the European Union (EU) through dialogue and consultation, and achieve a dynamic balance in the course of development, he said.
The NPC of China is ready to deepen multi-level, multi-field dialogue and exchanges with the Austrian National Council, and provide legal safeguards for the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries, Zhao noted, adding China is willing to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation and the exchange of legislative experience with Austria, and jointly seize the opportunities and meet the challenges brought by AI development.
For his part, Rosenkranz said Austria firmly adheres to the one-China policy. The delegation visiting China is composed of members from the five major parties of the Austrian National Council, and deepening cooperation with China is the consensus across Austria's party spectrum, he added.
Rosenkranz said the Austrian National Council stands ready to strengthen friendly exchanges with the NPC of China. The Austrian side is ready to make efforts to advance the development of EU-China relations and strengthen cooperation with China in multilateral platforms such as the UN, he added. ■
Zhao Leji, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, holds talks with Walter Rosenkranz, president of the National Council of Austria, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 31, 2026. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
