The Liberal Government is not only inviting the world to Tasmania, we are taking Tasmania to the world.
This month I am leading a trade and investment mission to China, to build on the diplomatic and business ties generated by the Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Tasmania last year, and our TasInvest forum which presented more than $2 billion of investment opportunities, which the Government is now actively pursuing.
We also signed 10 MoUs strengthening our economic and cultural relations with China, one of the fastest growing economies in the world and our largest trading partner.
Our job now is to convert this increased interest into investment. Pleasingly, there has already been a spike in prices and volumes of our produce into markets in China.
The week-long trade and investment mission will commence March 27.
It will visit Fuzhou, Xi'an, Beijing and Shanghai.
The Parliamentary Secretary for Trade, Adam Brooks, will join me, as will representatives of the Hobart and Launceston city councils, the University of Tasmania, business leaders, and senior bureaucrats including the Coordinator-General.
The mission will include the first of the scheduled bi-annual meetings with our sister-province, Fujian, which was agreed under an MoU we signed during the President's visit.
We will support and promote the University of Tasmania's initiatives in China, which are an important source of international students.
The mission will include a number of business functions, focused on facilitating trade and investment opportunities arising from TasInvest.
We will progress our relations with China in Antarctic affairs, as agreed under another MoU we signed last year.
I am also seeking to meet with senior officials and senior members of the Chinese Government, and enhance intergovernmental relations.
The cost to the Department of Premier and Cabinet is estimated at around $32,000. The full cost for the involvement of the Department of State Growth and Tourism Tasmania will be made available once known.
We are determined to maintain the momentum generated from the President's historic visit and our successful TasInvest forum.