China a 'constructive partner' in trade talks

Australia sees China as a constructive partner to work with to break the stalemate in the Doha round of trade talks, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said yesterday.

Rudd, in Beijing to attend the Olympics opening ceremony, believes it is time for state leaders to pick up from where negotiators fell short to resolve the small issues still thwarting a final deal.

"I believe China, together with Australia, has an opportunity to try and still pull a good outcome from the trade negotiations out of the fire," Rudd said in an interview with China Daily and CCTV presenter Rui Chenggang, a long-time friend of the former diplomat to Beijing.