South Australia-Shandong Future Economic Growth Roundtable – Celebrating 50 Years of Diplomatic Relations

On Thursday 24 November, the Australia China Business Council (ACBC), in collaboration with the China Chamber of Commerce in Australia (CCCA) hosted the SA-Shandong Future Economic Growth Roundtable. The roundtable preceded celebrations commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Australia and China.

Hosted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Adelaide, the 2-hour roundtable dialogue featured strong participation from business, industry, and governmental leaders. Discussions covered renewed cooperation for two-way trade and investment activities between South Australia and Shandong and our joint imperative toward a net zero future. This joint endeavour is supplemented by the high level of complementarity between our two economies and the mutual benefit to be gained by effective cooperation.

Business leaders from South Australia and Shandong agree that cooperation is needed if we are to achieve our mutual net zero ambitions with the requisite speed and scale required to tackle the climate challenge. To this end, cooperation is not just helpful, it is in fact essential.

Following the roundtable, attendees heard from the Premier, the Hon. Peter Malinauskas MP and the Consul-General of China Madam Lanjing He as they reflected on the last 50 years of the diplomatic relationship.

The Premier outlined his vision for the bilateral relationship and stressed the importance of fostering people-to-people links to grow the cooperation of the South Australian and Chinese business communities. Likewise, the Consul-General outlined her optimistic interpretation of the bilateral relationship and desire for increased trade and investment activities.