Australia PM to lead biggest-ever business delegation to China

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Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is to lead his country’s largest-ever trade mission to China - Australia's biggest trading partner. Turnbull will join almost 1,000 Australian business-people on the trip this week in a bid to capitalize on business opportunities arising from the recently implemented free trade agreement between the two countries.

Australian officials expect the trade mission, which also marks Turnbull’s first official trip to China as Prime Minister, to provide Australian businesses and industries with a unique opportunity.

“I think it is game changing, it is really taking an advantage of signing an agreement, the Chinese Australia Free Trade Agreement, it’s taking beyond an agreement and actually putting it into action,” said Grame Barty, Executive Director of International Operations at Austrade, the Australian government trade commission for Australian exporters and information. Barty leads an innovation team that includes people from research institutions, incubators, and even start-ups.

Turnbull’s two-day visit to China begins on Thursday, while Australia Week in China will take place across multiple cities from April 11-15 2016. 

The AWIC 2016 program features trade and investment seminars, roundtables, site visits, product showcases and opportunities for networking with Chinese business, industry and government. 

Eight sector-specific programs are to be held in cities including Hong Kong, Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Shenyang, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou before all the delegates come together in Shanghai.

The mission follows the start of the China Australia Free Trade agreement (ChAFTA). It was signed last year under former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, and came into force on 20 December 2015.

The agreement lays a foundation for the next phase of Australia’s economic relationship with China. Upon full implementation of the agreement, tariffs will be lifted on 95 percent of Australian exports, hurdles will be lowered for Chinese businesses to invest in Australia and more visas granted for Chinese on working holidays.

Under the agreement, Australians benefit from cheaper electronics while Chinese consumers have great access to Australian beef, dairy products, wine and more.