Published on : Monday, November 12, 2018
Amid a trade war between the US and China, Mr. Birmingham, who is also the tourism minister, said that Australia “celebrates China’s economic success to date”, and it is good for the region and Australia.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will render a key speech on Monday at the opening of an international trade fair in Shanghai that is expected to open Chinese markets to US companies.
To quote Mr. Birmingham, “I hope that through dialogue the US and China can head off any escalation in terms of tariff increases that has been foreshadowed by the US. Australia has always urged the parties to talk and engage rather than go down a protectionist path that undermines the type of trade liberalisation that was so critical to the economic growth of China and lifting those millions out of poverty.”
At the launch of Tourism Australia’s promotion of the annual AFL match in Shanghai, Mr. Birmingham’s first official event in China, he said that one in 50 Australians have visited China, and one in every thousand people in China have travelled to Australia.
Tourism Research Australia data established a record 1.3 million Chinese visits to Australia, where they spent $11.3 billion, more than a quarter of all spending by overseas tourists.
Mr. Birmingham added, “The China International Import Expo is an incredible opportunity to highlight the strength of the Chinese economy since it began to open up to the world.”
The expo is a big opportunity for Australia for selling its best produce into the Chinese market.
Around 150 Australian companies are exhibiting at the event.