Shanghai is one of five Chinese cities with a Victorian Government Trade and Investment Office. Photo: Global Victoria.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has announced that she will lead a trade mission to China in September, marking her first visit there as Premier.
The announcement comes just two months after ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr visited China on a trade mission and just a month after South Australia’s Trade Minister did the same.
The Premier has set out a loose outline of her visit, which will target meeting businesses, government, community members and educators, hoping to bolster economic, cultural and government ties.
Ms Allan indicated the move would be part of a new “China strategy” focused on jobs, growth and stability for workers in the state as well as a stronger relationship with the Chinese people.
This new strategy is centred on five strengths:
- Food and fibre
- Advanced manufacturing and clean energy
- Medical technology and pharmaceuticals
- International education
- Tourism and the creative industries.
The Victorian Government has highlighted these sectors as positions of strength for the state’s economy.
The Premier’s statement also hit out at “conservative politicians” for “unnecessary and divisive rhetoric” that had been “hurtful to Chinese-Australian families”.
Ms Allan said that, during an increasingly divisive era, she looked forward to making the case that foreign-born Victorians were a “proud” part of the state’s story.
The jab was possibly aimed at Liberal Senator for Victoria Jane Hume, who claimed on Channel 7’s Sunrise program that “Chinese spies” were volunteering for Labor Minister for Housing Clare O’Neil at voting booths.
The statement spurred reproach from Chinese-Australians and much has been said in the post-election autopsy about the devastating effect that Chinese-Australian voters had on the Liberals.
