MAANSHAN, Anhui - China's growth has benefited Australia and the world, by helping them get through the financial crisis, according to the former Australian Prime Minister John Howard.

China is "doing very, very well" and is successful in the highly competitive world market, said Howard at the fourth Global Outsourcing Summit in Maanshan on Monday adding that the country's growth is not only good for China, but also "good for the whole world".

"The growth of China is a great story", he said in an interview with China Daily, adding that he is quite optimistic about Australia's future relations with China.