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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-06-02 Daily Xml
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Ministerial Statement

China Trade

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier) (14:06): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: South Australia's economy is in transition and our future economic growth will in large measure depend on our success in promoting South Australia to the world. That is why we have made international engagement one of our 10 economic priority areas. To support this agenda I have just visited China, along with the largest delegation of businesses and government representatives on a trade and investment mission ever to leave South Australia.

I am pleased to report that it was an extraordinary success. Visiting four cities in six days—Jinan, Qingdao, Beijing and Shanghai—the visit was, I am advised, the first Australian delegation since the conclusion of negotiations on the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement late last year. The final figures on the delegation were: 256 delegates, including 160 from the private sector, cultural and education institutions; 49 state government delegates, including translators, as well as five BioSA and four TAFE representatives; nine from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Austrade, including the Australian Ambassador to China; 27 local government representatives from 15 councils and the LGA; and two media representatives.

The trip was part of the South Australian Business Month in China that included: a series of seminars on business migration in four cities; a significant South Australian presence at the Shanghai international food exhibition; the Urban Development Institute of Australia's China Study Tour; and the Wine Australia's Coonawarra producers tour. The South Australian Business Month in China, culminated, however, in the South Australia-Shandong Cooperation and Development Forum.

At least 25 MOUs were signed establishing new areas of cooperation in business, research and development, government administration and education. These agreements will result in new trade, investment and, importantly, jobs between our two regions. A number of other commercial agreements were also signed totalling millions of dollars worth of exports in tuna, wine and other food and fibre.

Discussions were also held about the desirability of working towards direct flights between South Australia and Shandong. Our relationship with Shandong is one that is characterised by significant trade and investment but also and, as importantly, it is a relationship characterised by friendship and understanding. As part of this mission, agreements were made between a number of South Australian and Shandong cultural and educational institutions. This included professional exchanges between our museums, cooperation between our libraries and partnerships between our schools, including the new bilingual school we are establishing in South Australia.

Climate change is one of the most significant issues facing the international community today and I am pleased to announce that agreement has been reached with the Qingdao municipal government, the Adelaide City Council and the South Australian government to cooperate on our shared objectives of Adelaide and Qingdao being low carbon cities. The involvement of the Adelaide City Council was crucial to this agreement, as was the involvement of local government generally in the second forum.

The week concluded with the joint launch of South Australia Clubs in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Initiated in London in 2010, the South Australia Club idea mobilises the state's international network of influence in support of our investment and trade objectives. Next year marks the 30th anniversary of South Australia's sister state relationship with Shandong. This is a significant opportunity to further strengthen the relationship and to build on the strategy of Shandong being South Australia's doorway to China and for South Australia to be Shandong's doorway to Australia. I invite all those opposite to participate in this most important anniversary.

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