Celebrating 50 Years of Achievement

On 21 December 1972, the Australian government under then Prime Minister Gough Whitlam formally recognised and established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), through the signing of a joint communiqué by the Australian and PRC ambassadors in Paris.

The imminent 50th anniversary of that signing provides a special opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the last five decades.

There is much to celebrate. The Australia-China relationship is multifaceted and underpinned by deep and enduring institutional, business, cultural, and community links that have informed and sustained our engagement and enriched our lives.

The breadth of the relationship is the result of a long history of collaboration and exchange between the Australian and Chinese governments and our nations’ people.
We often take it for granted, but our economic and trade complementarities have driven prosperity in both countries.

Chinese investment into the mining and other sectors, and the exports that have flowed from those investments, along with Chinese tourism and education, have been critical in supporting the Australian economy through challenging times, creating jobs, and benefiting households.

In China, Australia’s role as a reliable export partner of commodities has been critical to China’s development and helped to support millions to escape poverty.

As then-Prime Minister Gough Whitlam said during his first speech in Beijing in 1973, “Close cooperation and association between our two peoples is both natural and beneficial.”

So, as we approach the 50th anniversary, ACBC will be joining with other organisations and members of the Australian and Chinese communities to celebrate this milestone. Be sure to go to our events page on our website to see all our 50th-anniversary-events.