SHARING IDEAS: Professor Kerry Brown of the University of Sydney, Beijing Review President Wang Gangyi and Professor David Walker of Peking University (left to right), discuss on the topic of Chinese Dream in Beijing on October 23 (DUAN RUOSHI)

What does the Chinese Dream mean to Australia? What kind of potential contributions will Australia make to China's future? And in what area can Australia and China cooperate with each other to make the Chinese Dream come true? A symposium hosted by the University of Sydney with the theme of "Australia and China: Working Together to Realize the Chinese Dream" was held on October 23 in Beijing to discuss the concept's domestic and overseas implications.

Focusing on topics that included the development of the economy, society, education as well as public health, professors, scholars, media representatives and government officials from the University of Sydney, Peking and Tsinghua universities, Beijing Review and Chinese Government departments joined in the discussions.

Since coming to power, top Chinese leader Xi Jinping has actively promoted the idea of the Chinese Dream, which is an effort to better understand and tap into the aspirations of the Chinese people.

When addressing the opening ceremony, Professor Kerry Brown, Executive Director of the China Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, said that the concept delivers a strong message for Chinese people about national rejuvenation and rising living standards. It also points to a future in which collaboration with overseas partners, including Australia, is crucial.

"Now that China is Australia's largest trade partner, the meaning of the Chinese Dream is perhaps more important for Australia to understand and work with than any other developed country," said the professor.

During the symposium, scholars also had deep discussions on how the Chinese Dream compares to its U.S. counterpart, the American Dream. Wang Gangyi, President and Editor in Chief of Beijing Review, gave a speech on the role of media in realizing the Chinese Dream.

Founded in 1850, the University of Sydney is the oldest university in Australia and has deeper links with China than any of its rivals. There are currently more than 5,000 students from China at the university, with a network of 15,000 alumni in China.