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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2016-05-25 Daily Xml
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South Australia-China Engagement Strategy

Ms WORTLEY (Torrens) (14:20): My question is to the Minister for Investment and Trade. Can the minister update the house on the recently released South Australia-China Engagement Strategy?

The Hon. M.L.J. HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite—Minister for Investment and Trade, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:20): I thank the member for Torrens for the question. I know she is very committed not only to the China strategy but also to the India strategy of which she is a big supporter. China and South Australia enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship in both two-way trade and via direct Chinese investment.

The value of South Australia's merchandise exports to China has experienced a 10-year average annual growth of 13.3 per cent, with exports in the 12 months to March in 2016 of $2.2 billion. We attracted 32,000 Chinese visitors in 2015, generating $183 million in expenditure and 33 per cent from a year earlier. I can see the shadow minister is that interested in it that he is reading The Australian. It's a shame because it is a commitment that needs bipartisan support. As at March 2016, South Australia had 7.5 per cent of all Chinese students studying in Australia, an increase of 31 per cent since 2013.

Last night, the Premier and I launched the updated South Australia-China Engagement Strategy to a large audience. The strategy update reflects a whole-of-state approach to our engagement with China and builds upon the lessons and experiences of the first three years of implementing the strategy. The update reflects the changes to the Australia-China relationship that have occurred over the past three years. These changes have altered the macroeconomic environment and the nature of our partnership and set the focus for our state's next period of engagement with China. They include:

the signing of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) in June 2015, entered into force in December 2015. ChAFTA will unlock significant trade and investment opportunities for Australia and South Australia;

the launch of China's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) which mandates a restructure of the domestic economy and a new growth model; and

significant transformations in South Australia's key industries, including the launch of the 10 economic priorities to respond to these transformations.

Government-led initiatives established between South Australia and its sister state, Shandong, including the recently agreed South Australia-Shandong Friendly Cooperation Action Plan, will see Shandong opening its market to 20 new South Australian exporters every year over the next three years.

A key focus of our engagement is through our business mission program. In April, the Premier led a delegation of 309 to China and Shandong. Businesses have advised that they have secured in total:

more than 370 business connections;

12 export deals valued at more than $500,000;

130 export leads which could be worth $50 million to South Australia; and

52 new investment leads, with one valued at approximately $20 million.

Let me read some of the feedback from constituents from businesses, many of them from electorates opposite:

My week was amazing! It was exhausting but the positive contacts that I have made far exceed any exhaustion that I endured.

Sheree Chappel, Stoney Pinch

There is a great deal of work across many departments and agencies, both here in South Australia (special mentions for DSD and PIRSA) and in China to make these missions work…I wish to thank them all for their outstanding efforts…

Richard Dolan, Wines by Geoff Hardy

It's given us the opportunity to provide for a very large hospital project that is going to be built in Yantai. We would never have got into the project if we had not been there (on the trade mission).

Jan Antonides, Elwa Energy

It goes on with the Sarin Group from Port Lincoln, the Fleurieu Milk and Yoghurt Company, and so many others, including Balco. There is just so much good news.

The SPEAKER: Alas, the minister's time has expired.

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