Making Victoria the first port of call for investment is the goal of a state delegation that is visiting China with a string of new service and trade deals announced since their arrival.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen is leading the delegation and used the visit to launch the state’s five-year China Strategy.
“We want Victoria to become the first port of call for Chinese business to innovate and invest – and the destination of choice for Chinese people to visit and study,” she says.
“China is our number one trading partner and source of international visitors.”
She outlines six sectors that the new strategy will focus on: education, agribusiness, health, arts and sport, tourism and energy.
The delegation’s itinerary includes stops in Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Chengdu and Deyang.
In Beijing, she signed a deal with China’s Education Minister Huai Jinpeng to create a working group for greater co-operation such as classroom and cultural exchanges, sister-school partnerships, joint vocational programs and more.
Economic Growth and Jobs Minister Danny Pearson says that they will always welcome students from China and around the world to Victoria.
Allan announced the return of the Hamer Scholarship, which will give regional students $10,000 to study in China.
MORE CHINA DEALS
In other deals that were announced in the space of a week:
- China’s Trina Solar is to build the 500-megawatt Kiewa Valley Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in north-east Victoria after the project had been fast-tracked for approval. The battery will store renewable energy during the day and pump it back into the grid during peak demand, enough to power 172,000 homes a year.
- Ceiling panels for Melbourne’s new G Class trams will be made in Victoria thanks to a deal signed in Shanghai between Victorian-owned Assemco and China’s biggest train fittings manufacturer KN. Assemco is to be trained to take over the assembly, testing and painting of panels.
- $43 million will be spent to market Victoria to overseas tourists including a new campaign for the Chinese market across social media and billboards. Advertising in other overseas and domestic markets will also increase. The campaign launch comes ahead of new flights to Melbourne from Shenzhen and Hong Kong airlines. Alongside the campaign a multi-year marketing deal has been struck with online travel agency Trip.com.
- RMIT University and the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics (SUIBE) have begun working on a new joint institute to deliver more Australian-accredited programs for students in Shanghai, including Master’s degrees and courses on technology in business.
- A five-year deal between Museums Victoria and Chengdu’s biggest museum could open the doors to joint exhibitions worldwide, the government says. It will unite collections, boost research, digitisation projects, staff exchanges and training and Museums Victoria CEO Lynley Crosswell says they are “delighted” with the deal.
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