The Minister for Resources, Energy, and Tourism, Martin Ferguson AM MP, will today travel to China to meet with industry and government representatives and reaffirm Australia's commitment to strong bilateral relationships in the resources, energy and tourism sectors.
Minister Ferguson will address the Australia-China Mining and Minerals Industry Dinner about the basis of our resources relationship including growing trade and investment flows and the close cooperation we have established on low emissions coal and other energy technologies, improvements in health and safety standards in the Chinese mining sector, and our growing LNG and uranium trade.
Minister Ferguson said: "China is now our largest resources trading partner."
"We are also both involved in both the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum and the Asia Pacific Partnership to develop low emission technologies with close cooperation on low emissions coal and cement industry technologies."
Minister Ferguson will also meet with Chinese tourism operators at a Tourism Australia-sponsored event in Beijing, where he will detail the Chinese market's importance to the Australian tourism industry.
Minister Ferguson will announce that Tourism Australia is to invest $5.7 million throughout 2008-09 to maximise the Chinese market's potential.
Tourism Australia will undertake an integrated marketing campaign to promote Australian nature and city experiences using television, outdoor, print and online advertising, as well as public relations activities and the Visiting Journalist Program.
Minister Ferguson said: "China is already Australia's fifth largest market in terms of visitor arrivals and fourth in terms of economic value.
"Annual growth of 12 per cent is expected for the next decade and it is expected that around 1.1 million Chinese visitors will travel to Australia annually by 2017.
"Clearly, the Chinese market is incredibly important for the Australian tourism industry and economy."