Australia-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry
of New South Wales

 

 


 

Related documents:

Position paper on Sister State and Sister City Relations Between Australia and China

Chamber letter to Sister City News

Information about cities and provinces in China.

 


SPEECHES FROM THE FORUM ON

MAKING SISTER CITY RELATIONS WORK FOR THE ECONOMIC
BENEFIT OF BOTH PARTIES

12 March 2002

Sponsoring organisations:

Local Government and Shires Associations NSW (LGSA)

Australian Sister Cities Association (ASCA)

Australia China Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New South Wales (ACCCI)

 


INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY FORUM CHAIRMAN

Michael C.H. Jones, President, Australia-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New South Wales

A Third Tier of International Business

It gives me great pleasure to open the Sister City Forum this morning and to introduce the first three speakers:

v      Cr Peter Woods OAM, President of the Local Government and Shires Association of New South Wales

v      Deputy Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Sydney, Mr Du Wei

v      Cr Kevin Hill, President of the Australian Sister City Association

But firstly let me thank the sponsoring organisations, the LGSA, the ASCA and the ACCCI for this initiative and the work of all their members in finally achieving a very significant gathering of Mayors and senior officers and staff from over 20 councils in New South Wales as well as representation from the NSW and Queensland Governments, the Hunter Business Connection and the Australia China Friendship Society.

These introductory remarks are to set the stage for what I know will be a thought provoking dialogue between those who have a profound commitment to local government, and the actual and potential role it plays or could play in building worthwhile and lasting relationships internationally.

CHINA

To begin let me draw your attention to the twin themes of today’s proceedings namely:

v      To make sister city relations work for the economic benefit of both parties.

v      To provide information to councils considering establishing or reviving Sister City links with local authorities in China, with an emphasis on trade, investment, industry and commercial activities.

In this context I believe there are at least three immediate factors that need to be taken into consideration:

Firstly, that geographically and socially China is akin to Europe with a diversity that is simply enormous in every field, and a predominance in Asia which only India can challenge.

Secondly, that economically and diplomatically China has similarities with the United States between 1865 and 1917 when that country emerged from its “cultural revolution”, or civil war, to enter the front rank of world powers in all areas.

Thirdly, that politically and strategically Australia is of declining importance for China as that country is accepted into the global community which means we must focus more determinedly on ways to maintain our economic relationship.

Therefore the role of the Sister City Relationship, among other channels, and their potential benefits for Australia, must be viewed more and more from a global or at least regional perspective rather than from a simply bilateral perspective.  Competition for friendship and business is an international phenomenon.

Cultural understanding and working familiarity cannot be legislated by national governments.

Educational programmes will not replace people-to-people contact and co-operative effort.

Economic opportunities are not realised on the internet but through trade and commerce.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Out of today’s proceedings I would like to see three developments.

I would like to see the start of a better understanding of the role of Local Government, or Municipal Government as it is called in China, in the promotion of trade and investment relations between our two countries.  This Forum for example is the culmination of over three years promotion by ACCCI.

Secondly I would like to see a movement towards the re-structuring of Australia’s trade and investment effort with China, away from the excessive centralisation in Canberra to a more diversified plan with specific objectives based on the natural advantages of federal, state and local government.  This would more effectively match China’s trade and investment structures.

Finally I would like to see an agreement in principle for a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, between the Local Government and Shires Association of New South Wales, LGSA, the Australian Sister City Association, ASCA, and the Australia China Chamber of Commerce and Industry of New South Wales, ACCCI, firstly to co-operate more closely in supporting Sister City Relationships between Australia and China, and secondly to campaign energetically to make Local Government in Australia a genuine third level for international business and economic relations and especially for Small to Medium sized Enterprises, SMEs..

I now take pleasure in handing over to our morning session speakers.