BEIJING - Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Austrian Foreign Affairs Minister Karin Kneissl Monday in Beijing.

Wang said that the announcement made by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen to establish a Sino-Austrian friendly strategic partnership is a major milestone and new start in bilateral ties.

"The fact that the two leaders made the top-level designs for the bilateral cooperation and reached important consensus will further unleash the potential of cooperation between the two countries," said Wang.

China hopes Austria continue to actively promote China-Europe ties, support and join the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern Europe countries, and make joint efforts with China to resist trade protectionism and maintain an open world economy, Wang said.

Kneissl said Austria is ready to implement the consensus of the two leaders and push forward the Austria-China friendly strategic partnership.