Video: People's Daily Online interviews Australian Ambassador Frances Adamson

PD Online: Hello everyone, welcome to People's Daily Online. Today our distinguished guest here is Ms Frances Adamson, the Australian Ambassador to China. And she also has a Chinese name, Sun Fangan. Your Excellency, welcome here. And would you like to say hello to the audience?

Ambassador: I'd love to say hello to your audience. I am delighted to be here today with people.com and it's always a pleasure to be meeting Renminribao (People’s Daily) and speaking through you to your readers, your listeners and people who want to learn more about Australia.

PD Online: Thanks a lot. And also it's a great pleasure for us to invite you here to People's Daily Online. And I remember that you have been in China maybe for more than 1 year as you were appointed as the Australian Ambassador to China in August 2011. So would you please summarize your feelings in China by some key words?

Ambassador: Yes. Look. It's very hard in a way to sum up what seems like a life time experiences in just over a year, but I think the most striking things to me are the dynamism of China. I've had the privilege of visiting about 12 provinces already. I can see the growth rates, the progress, the opening up of the West, and that's one of the reasons the Australian Prime Minister announced earlier this year that we would open a Consulate-General in Chengdu.

But I think any visitor to China, particularly anyone who has the privilege of living here is struck by the dynamism but also by China's diversity. I think if you consider China's history and China's culture, when you meet many of China's people, there is such a rich diversity which comes through so strongly. And I think that's one of the reasons that Australian and China have so many different points of engagement.

But I've also been struck by sense of optimism throughout the country. And I think it's partly because China really is in many ways a land of opportunity. But wherever I go, I'm greatly encouraged to find China is across the board who are very interested in learning more about Australia, in traveling to Australia, and in engaging with us as you go through your dynamic phase and into the future.

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