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Ms Jill Collins, Australian Consul-General, Guangzhou
Welcome Remarks to the AustCham South China
“40+20” Christmas Event
Westin Hotel, Guangzhou, 1 December 2012
Mr Kevin Li, Chairman of the Australia-China Chamber of Commerce South China, thank you for your introduction; Members of the Board; distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
Welcome to the annual AustCham Christmas Event.
It’s my first Christmas in Guangzhou, but I’m already seeing a lot of familiar faces.
Christmas in Guangzhou feels a bit like Christmas in my hometown Melbourne – sunny one day, cold and rainy the next, but always full of life, with plenty of good company and great food.
I’d like to start by acknowledging the long-standing contributions of AustCham’s former Chairman Alfred Leong, who handed the reins to Kevin Li earlier this year. Thank you Alfred.
And I’d also like to acknowledge the presence of David Olsson, Chairman of AustCham Beijing, who’s escaped the chilly northern winter to help us celebrate Christmas here in Guangzhou. Welcome David.
There’s a common thread that brings us all together tonight – all of us arecontributing to developing the Australia-China relationship, in some way.
And AustCham, with the dedication and commitment of the Board, and the enthusiasm of all of my fellow Australians here tonight, plays a central role.
As Consul-General and asa member of the South China Chamber, I also thank our Chinese friends here tonight, for your strong support.
Let’s focus for a minute on some of this year’s highlights in the ongoing ‘story’ of Australia and China. It’s been a great year, a positive and productive year.
Australia-China: Life Begins at 40
Tonight’s event is part of our “40-20” celebration. So, what’s the significance of “40-20”? First, it marks the 40thanniversary of Australia-China diplomatic relations, which falls on 21 December of this month.
Forty is a great age – it’s a time when you’ve already reached many of your career and personal goals, but you’re not yet at your peak and you still have unlimited potential.
Over the past 40 years,Australia and China have developed a healthy, strong and mutually beneficialbilateral relationship. We’ve achieved a great deal together.
In 1972, when bilateral trade was worth only $100 million, who could have imagined that in forty years’ timethis would grow to over125 billion Australian dollars, and be supplemented by another 70 billion USD in approved investment from China? Who would have foreseen - at a time when few Chinese even held a passport - that hundreds of thousands of Chinese tourists would visit Australia every year? Or that student numbers from China would grow from almost zero to over 170,000 enrolments?
All of these links have helped us to generate jobs and mutual prosperity for our people. In a time ofglobal turmoil, Australia and China remain two of the strongest performing economies in the world.
But they have also generated better understanding of each other. And AustCham, in bringing together our business communities, has made very positive contributions to the people-to-people exchanges that are at the very foundation of our ties with China.
So we’ve reached some incredible milestones. But we’re only 40. We still have a lot of room to grow.
20Years of Australia in South China
Those of you who were here in 1992 will also know the Australian Consulate in Guangzhou celebrates its 20th birthday this month. We were one of the first Consulates here, and we’ve grown to become now the second-largest and one of the most active and visibleforeign consular missions in south China. We’ve already done pretty well for a 20-year old - but we’re still learning and growing and looking forward to an even brighter future.
AustCham South China – An Expanding Presence
Adding to the celebrations, I found out recently that AustCham South China turned 18 years old this year. It’s done a fantastic job since 1994,supporting and representing Australian businesses to engage with southern China and promote business-to-business ties.
In Australia, turning 18 symbolises maturity, adulthood, a time when we take on new responsibilities. And AustCham South China is actively shouldering responsibilities and looking to new directions and opportunities. The South China chapter has been active in contributing to recent joint initiatives with AustCham China-wide. And earlier this week, our three AustCham Chambers from Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai metto talk about ways to strengthen our mutual cooperation, including through the AustCham Greater China platformthat was launched recently.
I’m very keen to support the AustCham Greater China initiative. Each of the AustCham chambers has their own identityand their own unique characteristics. Each of us has our own strengths, and we’re proud of that. At the same time, I believe that working together with all the chapters of AustCham across China, to take advantage of a wider platform and to speak with a single voice, will create new and exciting mutual benefits for all AustCham members. Together, we are stronger.
Looking forward, 2013 is also full of opportunity. A few weeks ago, our Prime Minister released the White Paper on“Australia in the Asian Century”. It highlights the central importance of the Australia – China relationship to Australia’s engagement with Asia. Itsets out a roadmap for governments, business and communities to take advantage ofthe transformationsand opportunities taking place in the Asian region, particularly in China.
The Australian Government intends to keep on expanding its presence in China. Next year, the Government will establish a new Australian Consulate-General in Chengdu. And in South China, our Trade Minister,Dr Emerson, has announced that we’ll work towards a new framework of economic cooperation with Guangdong, to better advocate the interests of Australian business here.
So, there’s never been a better time to join AustCham South China, and if you’re new to our group tonight I encourage you to become a member. If you’re already a member, Kevin’s asked me to remind you that Santa is watching, and he won’t bringyou any presents unless he knows you’re paid up!
Finally, I want to thank Kevin Li, andAustCham’sJoelle and Winky, for this wonderful event tonight. Merry Christmas!
祝大家圣诞节快乐！