Australia held the first promotional meeting in the country’s second largest city, Melbourne, ahead of the inaugural China International Import Expo. The event drew around 100 Australian enterprises and over 250 attendees from local political and business circles who have shown great interest in the upcoming event that will kick off in Shanghai in November.

Attendees included the Chinese Consulate-General in Melbourne, Australia’s Trade and Investment Commission, the Victoria State Government, the China Chamber of Commerce in Australia and the Australia-China Business Council.

According to Zhao Jian, the Chinese Consul-General in Melbourne, the China International Import Expo will not only be the world’s first international expo themed on imports but also a groundbreaking event in the developmental history of international trade. He hopes that local enterprises can maximize this important opportunity presented by the expo and deepen investment cooperation in terms of innovation, research and development and market development with China in a bid to play a bigger role in the course of the country’s economic and social development.

Economic trade and investment are the cornerstones of Australia-China relations and the two countries complement each other well, said Richard Bolt, secretary-general of the Victoria State Government’s Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR). The state will continue to double its efforts in cultivating stronger ties with China. In addition, the Victoria government is ready to provide support for Australian enterprises intend to attend expo.

Australia signaled its willingness to attend the first China International Import Expo as early as last September, said the country’s Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Steven Ciobo. Australia’s Trade and Investment Commission will focus efforts on helping Australian enterprises grasp this historic opportunity to take an active part in the expo and enhance cooperation between Australia and China.

At present, most Australian enterprises that have signed up for the expo are engaged in food and agricultural products. As one of China’s important trade partners, Australia enjoys a unique dominance in agriculture, food, science and technology, as well as some service fields. Through both countries efforts, Australian enterprises can take advantage of the Expo to further expand the Chinese market and deliver mutually beneficial outcomes.