CANBERRA, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping Tuesday respectively met Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce and Paul Henderson, Chief Minister of Australia's Northern Territory.

During the talks with Bryce here, Xi said he had exchanged views with a wide range of leaders and entrepreneurs in Australia during his trip, reaching comprehensive consensus on deepening cooperation on politics, trade, science and technology, education and tourism.

Earlier this month, Bryce herself had paid a visit to China, attending the ceremony of the "Australian Pavilion Day" at the Shanghai World Expo and hosting the opening ceremony for the "Australian Culture Year."

Xi praised that such moves showed that the Governor-General attaches great importance to developing relations with China.

Xi said both China and Australia are two important nations in the Asia-Pacific region, and both share common interests in safeguarding the peace and stability in the region and pushing forward the regional and global economic growth.

The vice president said the Chinese government is willing to join hands with Australia to enhance dialogue, expand consensus, increase mutual trust and explore cooperation, so as to achieve more progress in developing bilateral relations and bring more blessing to people in the two countries.

Bryce said Xi's current visit has conveyed an important signal that the Chinese people attach importance to the relations with Australia, demonstrated the depth of bilateral relations and set the direction for future efforts.

Xi also visited the Australian National University (ANU) here, donating books to the university's new center on China education and research.

Xi congratulated on the establishment of the Australian Center on China in the World. He said the ANU has strong academic achievements on China study, which played a positive role in enhancing all-around understandings of China by all walks of life in Australia and promoting more cultural exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

Xi said the Australian government's decision in establishing such a center on China study and dedicating a huge amount of money for the research work has demonstrated Australia's strong desire to learn more about China.

He said he believes the new center will become a brand new platform at a higher level to promote communications and exchanges.

Xi said the Chinese government has carefully selected those books for the center to show support to the center. He hoped the books will be of use and convenience to the research work. China will actively encourage its academic institutions to have deeper exchanges with the center and enhance mutual understanding and exchanges of the academics and think-tanks in the two countries, he said.

He also said he hopes the new center will make active contribution in promoting bilateral ties and people-to-people understanding and friendship.

ANU Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Chubb said Vice-president Xi' s participation is the best way to recognize ANU's focus on cooperation with China over the years.

He said this is the biggest encouragement for the university to build the world's first-class Australian Center on China in the World and the Joint Research Center for Functional Molecular Materials.

He added the book gift given by the Chinese vice president will play an important role in better understanding China and promoting exchanges and friendly cooperation between Australia and China.

In Darwin, during the talks with Henderson, Xi said he is pleased to visit the nearest Australian city to China.

He said his visit is aimed at boosting China's relations with the Northern Territory, proposing both sides should deepen trade and economic cooperation, expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges and enhance the exchanges between the Northern Territory and Chinese provinces.

Henderson, on his part, said Xi's current visit embodies the profound friendship and cooperation between the Chinese and Australian peoples.

He also said the Northern Territory sincerely welcomes investment from China, hoping for more cooperation on mineral resources, culture, education, tourism and people-to-people exchange between the two sides.

Darwin is the last stop of Xi's five-day visit to Australia. Afterwards he is scheduled to go back to China.