Western Australia Premier Roger Cook has embarked on his inaugural official mission to China, marking a significant milestone in fostering new investment and trade opportunities while reinforcing the enduring partnership between WA and China.
Commencing today, the four-day mission kicks off with the premier’s official visit to Sichuan Province, the government said in a media statement.
Home to over 83 million people, Sichuan is recognised as the gateway to Southwestern China and has emerged as a vital economic hub in recent years.
The primary focus of this diplomatic expedition is to explore fresh prospects in this rapidly growing market, extending beyond the energy sector, where Western Australia has already witnessed substantial investments from Sichuan-based companies.
Premier Cook is scheduled to engage with key industry leaders and stakeholders, particularly in the resources, aviation, and energy sectors, during his stay in Shanghai.
The state government, in conjunction with the economic development framework Diversify WA, aims to promote collaboration opportunities in diverse sectors such as tourism, international education, and aviation.
One of the key objectives of the mission is to strengthen ties with the Chinese Government, and Premier Cook is set to participate in high-level meetings with key Chinese leaders.
The discussions aim to elevate Western Australia’s profile in China, increase awareness of the state’s strengths and capabilities, and further solidify the bilateral relationship.
Premier Roger Cook expressed that the mutually beneficial relationship between Western Australia and China holds tremendous importance for the growth and prosperity of both regions.
In the context of leading his first official mission to China as the Premier, he shared his aspirations to build upon the extensive investment and trade history, exploring new collaborative avenues.
Premier Cook also highlighted the significance of the visit to Sichuan, China’s key southwest region, following the initial high-level delegation from Sichuan’s visit to Western Australia in May.
“In leading my first official mission to China as the Premier of Western Australia, I hope to build on our long investment and trade history and explore new avenues in which we can work together,” he noted.
Cook emphasised the aim to strengthen trade links during this visit, fostering an environment conducive to further investment in Western Australia.
Western Australia played a pivotal role in Australia’s trade relations with China, accounting for 52 per cent of the country’s total trade goods in the last financial year.
The trade between the two amounted to an impressive $158.1 billion in goods during the fiscal year 2022-23.
