Shenzhen City in Guangdong Province, China. Photo: Tianyou Wang/Unsplash
Queensland is opening a trade office in Shenzhen, China, as the state government looks to boost its annual $26bn in exports to that country.
The move follows a recent trade visit, led by Trade Minister Ros Bates, to Hong Kong to attend HOFEX 2025, one of Asia’s largest food and hospitality trade shows and where 15 Queensland companies secured $3.99m in deals and 191 new trade leads.
Exhibitors at the show ranged from beef and honey producers to artisan smallgoods and organic spirits, from south-east and regional Queensland.
The government says the last time Queensland attended HOFEX was in 2019, which generated $3.68 million in business.
The trade show is one of the world’s biggest trade fairs; it attracted more than 1200 exhibitors from 27 countries and over 30,000 buyers.
(HOFEX organisers say there are 6195 new hotels under construction and another 3840 projects due to start in the next year.)
The Qld Government points out that the state’s food and beverage exports to China alone are worth $1.7 billion.
“China is Queensland’s largest trading partner, accounting for more than $43 billion in trade last year alone,” Bates says.
The mission held 17 high-level trade, investment, and education meetings across Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen.
A Trade and Investment Queensland (TIQ) office will open in Shenzhen, seen as the gateway to the Greater Bay Area, a major technology, advanced manufacturing and finance hub.
“This new office brings Queensland’s trade footprint in China to six locations: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hong Kong and now Shenzhen,” Bates says
Over the last seven months, TIQ offices in the Greater Bay Area have driven more than $46m in business for Queensland businesses.
The push follows the launch of the Qld Government’s China Trade and Investment Strategy 2025 which targets high-value exports and investment in regional industries.
