The Tasmanian Government and the Chinese provincial government of Fujian have held a very successful first meeting of our new Joint Committee for Cooperation and Development in Fuzhou yesterday.
The joint committee was established during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s historic visit to Tasmania in November last year.
With a population of more than 37 million, Fujian is one of China’s most affluent provinces and has a rapidly growing economy.
Yesterday’s meeting, which I was pleased to co-chair, was attended by more than 30 representatives from Tasmania and Fujian, and agreed to a number of tangible outcomes to further cement our relationship.
We agreed to expand the scope of exchanges and cooperation on all fronts, and discussed several projects with innovative ideas and great prospects.
Industry sectors discussed with potential for greater cooperation included livestock breeding, greenhouse vegetable cultivation with water conservation technologies, wood and forest product trade, and aquaculture.
Education was recognised as a particular opportunity, with the establishment of sister relationships between institutions and schools to be encouraged, along with art and cultural exchanges.
We agreed there is great potential in tourism, and will work to enhance existing and encourage direct air links between Fujian and Tasmania.
Following the meeting, the Premier, as Minister for Tourism, signed a letter of intent for cooperation between Tourism Tasmania and Fujian China Travel Service.
In celebrating our growing ties, we will hold a Fujian Week in Tasmania and a Tasmania Week in Fujian in 2016, as well as establishing closer relationships between Hobart and Fuzhou, and Launceston and Putian.
The next meeting of the Joint Committee will be held in Hobart in 2016.
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