South Australian Government leaders and their Chinese counterparts in Shanxi Province are today signing an agreement with potentially lucrative education, research and trade outcomes in sectors as diverse as water and Chinese medicine.
Minister for Trade and Investment Martin Hamilton-Smith and Shanxi Province Vice Governor Gao Jianmin witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Department of State Development of South Australia and the Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Shanxi Provincial People’s Government in Taiyuan this afternoon.
The agreement formalises several months of discussions between the government agencies to work together in targeted areas where there is mutual benefit.
It also follows an MoU signed in March between the University of Adelaide and the province’s Zhendong Pharmaceutical Company to establish a Centre for the Molecular Basis of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and a Chair and Professor of TCM at the University.
The official meeting in Taiyuan is a key appointment on Mr Hamilton-Smith’s agenda during this week’s South Australia Business Mission to China. Led by Premier Jay Weatherill and Minister Hamilton-Smith, the mission includes high-profile meetings to strengthen South Australia’s relationship with key figures in Jinan, Qingdao, Yantai, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Background
The South Australia-China Engagement Strategy sets out how South Australia, its industries and individual businesses can capitalise on China’s growing demand for goods and services. The expanded relationships and connections that have emerged since the strategy was introduced have highlighted opportunities in previously identified areas such as Shandong Province, and other regions such as Guangdong and Shanxi Province.
Like South Australia, Shanxi Province is diversifying from its traditional industry strengths – particularly into advanced manufacturing, agriculture, and in the increasingly technology-based field of Chinese medicine. South Australia’s strengths in water technology, clean energy and education and research are seen to be valuable as Shanxi Province looks to build the infrastructure and expertise to expand in these areas.
Initiatives such as this week’s South Australia Business Mission are carefully planned to connect South Australian companies and institutions with the business, research and education, and government representatives in strategic Chinese cities and regions to support their growth targets.
For more information about South Australia’s strategic relationship with China, visit the Department of State Development’s website.
Quotes attributable to Investment and Trade Minister Martin Hamilton-Smith
The South Australia-China Engagement Strategy focuses not only on how South Australian companies can benefit from increased trade with China, but also on how we can help our Chinese counterparts build the capacity for their own growth.
This agreement lays the foundation for significant development of partnerships in a range of sectors in Shanxi Province. For example, South Australia’s highly regarded knowledge and expertise in the healthcare and ageing sector can be of immense value to the Shanxi Government, which has released a plan to improve the lives of its citizens until 2030 and beyond.
Similarly, we have brought to China representatives of our internationally regarded water sector to support Shanxi’s development of sustainable river, wetland, and water quality initiatives.