11th July 2025

ACBC President to join Prime Minister's business delegation to China for CEO Roundtable

The Australia-China Business Council (ACBC) today confirmed that its National President, David Olsson AM, will travel to China this week as part of the official business delegation accompanying Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to Beijing for annual leader-level talks with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang.

As part of the visit, Mr Olsson will participate in the 8th Australia-China CEO Roundtable, co-hosted by the Business Council of Australia (BCA) and China Development Bank. The Roundtable brings together senior business leaders from both countries to discuss trade, investment and opportunities for long-term economic cooperation.

ACBC National CEO Tom Parker said the visit marks a critical point in the bilateral relationship. "With trade restored and dialogue reopened, we are now focused on shaping what comes next - new areas of trade, deeper capability and partnerships built around long-term resilience," Parker said.

"ACBC is Australia's longest-standing organisation focused solely on the bilateral economic relationship. Our role is to provide a stable, non-partisan platform for commercial engagement and dialogue, especially at times when government-to-government ties are evolving."

ACBC has sharpened its strategic focus in recent years, launching several national initiatives - including the China Capability Program, the Australia-China Green Economy Forum, and the AgriTrade Forum - all designed to help Australian industry better understand and respond to the structural shifts underway in China's economy.

Olsson said the CEO Roundtable is an opportunity to contribute to a more strategic phase in the relationship, one that draws on commercial experience and builds long-term trust.

"The delegation reflects renewed confidence in the relationship, but also a shared recognition that we need to think differently. This means modernising our frameworks for trade and investment, investing in new areas of capability, and working more closely with Chinese counterparts to solve shared challenges," he said.

Olsson will deliver remarks at the CEO Roundtable calling for enterprises and governments on both sides to take a more deliberate role in shaping the relationship.

"The next phase of the relationship will depend not just on high-level diplomacy, but on the quality of the economic architecture we build - through business partnerships, investment frameworks and platforms like this Roundtable that allow for frank, practical exchange." Olsson said.

ACBC will propose reinstating the Australia-China Trade and Economic Forum, co-hosted with CCPIT, to complement the CEO Roundtable and foster broader sector-level dialogue. Additional proposals will focus on modernising ChAFTA, strengthening institutional frameworks, and advancing collaboration in the green economy, digital services, and regional supply chains.

Parker added: "This is a moment for business to lead. And ACBC's job is to make sure that leadership is informed, strategic and connected to Australia's long-term interests."

With over 500 member companies across every state and territory, ACBC represents Australian businesses engaged in trade and investment with China across sectors including energy, agriculture, advanced manufacturing, technology, services and education.

"This visit is part of a longer-term effort to strengthen Australia's economic resilience through consistent, purposeful engagement," Olsson said. "We're delighted to be working with the BCA to contribute to a relationship that is more mature, better prepared, and focused on where the real opportunities now lie."

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Click here for the Media Release

For media inquiries, please contact:
Tom Parker
ACBC National CEO
Tel: 0413 047 951 or tom.parker@acbc.com.au
Website: acbc.com.au

About the Australia China Business Council
Established in 1973, ACBC represents 500 Australian companies with business interests in and with China. For over 50 years, ACBC has been the trusted voice of business and industry, providing knowledge, advocacy, networks, and capability to benefit and impact the bilateral economic relationship.