Australian business delegation visits Shenzhen

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02:39

One of Australia's largest business delegations to China arrived in the southern city of Shenzhen on Friday to seek new investment opportunities in areas like energy, infrastructure and tourism.

The visit by more than 80 business leaders from Australia's Northern Territory comes just three months after a direct flight was opened between the territory's capital Darwin and China's economic hub and home of innovation.

"I think there are strong opportunities with our oil and gas reserves and the need to export for demand, so energy, and minerals and resources, we've got railroads. And tourism, we provide something different to Sydney and Melbourne," said Michael Gunner, chief minister of the Northern Territory.

Gunner believes huge opportunities lie ahead for businesses in Northern Territory, with a land area of 1.3 million square kilometers and a population of just 250,000 people. In addition, abundant natural resources also make Northern Territory an attractive place for international studies.

For example, its innovation center would allow businesses to come and test solar energy and digital innovation before they develop products and market them to the world.

"In Alice Springs, we have very sunny beautiful weather. We have 300 sunny days a year. And we have a very big solar PV demonstration testbed," said Lauren Ganly, chief executive officer of Desert Knowledge Australia.

Now with the direct flight, the traveling time to Shenzhen of five and a half hours is even less than that from Darwin to his home, Australia's capital city Canberra. That alone has opened new opportunities for both countries, according to Gunner.

In fact, the booming economy of Australia's largest region has already drawn attention from local businesses.

One of China's comprehensive enterprises, Landbridge Group, won the franchise of Darwin Port, the capital and main port of northern Australia, for 99 years through bidding. And a major pipeline that goes through the center of Northern Territory is being built by a company owned by State Grid Corporation, a Chinese government-owned enterprise.

Northern Territory is known for Ulruru, a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory in central Australia. / CGTN photo

Shenzhen companies are interested in the partnership. "We are leading in high technology, especially with electronics and infrastructure. Those are exactly what Northern Territory needs. And I know some local companies are looking to import more beef, lamb and seafood from Australia," said Guo Jingwei, director of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade's Shenzhen Committee.

The Australian delegation comes at a time when trade friction between China and the US continues to escalate, which reflects that Australia's business community is telegraphing a willingness to deepen ties with China, Australia's largest trade partner, according to some observers.

Trade between China and Australia rose by 16 percent to nearly 140 billion US dollars in last year. That momentum will not be affected by the ongoing trade war between the world's two largest economies.

"We've got a strong bilateral relationship, which should remain strong and growing. For me, it's all about Australia and China. America could work itself out with China but how do we work together better," said Gunner.

When asked about trade, both Minister Gunner and Guo agree on one point: being interconnected when it comes to trade, whether business to business, people to people or government to government, is what leads to peace and stability.