Victorian Premier Denis Napthine has concluded another successful Super Trade Mission to China visiting nine Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu.
In 2012, Victoria hosted its first super trade mission to China under the helm of former Victorian Premier, Ted Baillieu.
This year’s mission focused on five priority sectors: food and beverage, sustainable urban design (including clean technology), health and aged care, tourism and ICT. More than 290 Victorian businesses and more than 420 delegates participated in the mission.
Since December 2010, the Victorian Government Trade Mission Programme has delivered 64 trade missions across more than 30 countries. Premier Napthine says these trade missions have engaged more than 2,000 Victorian businesses and generated more than $3.6 billion in projected new export sales. In conjunction with the trade mission, Victorian Minister for Employment and Trade, Louise Asher officially opened the Victorian Government Business Office in Chengdu.
The launch of the western China branch is expected to help bolster Victoria’s relationship with China’s southwestern region. “It will help deepen our government to government relationships and help our organisations capitalise on the region’s exciting export opportunities, help attract new investment to the State and provide support for Victorian organisations on the ground,” said Dr Napthine.
Education services will be a focus of the new Chengdu office as the state rolls out its Study Melbourne brand.
China is Victoria’s number one source of international students, with over 48,000 Chinese students attending Victorian universities and schools in 2012. In 2013 international education is estimated to add more than $4.4 billion to the Victorian economy and is responsible for 30,000 full time jobs in Victoria. The Chengdu office brings to five, Victoria’s number of trade offices in China – with existing business networks in Beijing, Hong Kong, Nanjing and Shanghai. ■
*Pictured top: Victorian Premier Denis Napthine at the opening of the Southeast University-Monash University Joint Graduate School (Suzhou).
