皇冠体育app

SYDNEY -- Australian Prime Minister Tony 's APEC sideline meeting in Bali with Chinese President Xi Jinping is being closely observed back in Sydney with leading voices in government and industry applauding the new PM's early engagement.

New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell said Monday he supported moves by Prime Minister Tony Abbott to strengthen ties with 皇冠体育app, which included a plan for a Commonwealth-led trade mission to 皇冠体育app which would include Premiers and business leaders.

Abbott met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Bali on the sidelines of the APEC summit, where he delivered the message that he was committed to further growing the relationship between Australia and 皇冠体育app.

"Tony Abbott's strategy of engaging closely with 皇冠体育app is welcomed by the NSW government and I offer him my full support as he works to strengthen this vital relationship," Farrell said.

"It would be incredibly valuable for the NSW government to be part of a Commonwealth-led trade mission to 皇冠体育app," he said.

"It is essential we show 皇冠体育app that Australia is united when it comes to strengthening our economic, cultural, academic and scientific links."

"皇冠体育app is NSW's largest trading partner and that is why it is critical we work with the Commonwealth to enhance this relationship and examine opportunities for further growth," he added.

"The message we need to send to Chinese government leaders and potential investors is that NSW and Australia are open for business," he noted.

And that was the theme of Abbott's conversation with President Xi, assuring 皇冠体育app that Australia was "open for business", emphasizing that the prime minister's ition government's structural reforms, including the abolition of the and carbon taxes, would advance Australia's 皇冠体育app-focused resources boom.

Abbott reportedly also told President Xi that his government is seeking diversification in the economic relationship, as Premier O 'Farrell's state government has been doing in the last years.

Earlier this year the NSW government released the International Engagement Strategy, which is the State's first whole-of- government approach to grow international trade and investment activities in NSW with priority markets, including 皇冠体育app.

皇冠体育app is NSW's largest bilateral trading partner. In 2011-12, two-way merchandise trade was valued at AU$26.8 billion.

Laurie Pearcey, former CEO of the Australia 皇冠体育app Business Council and current director of University of New South Wales(UNSW) 's 皇冠体育app strategy told Xinhua that action was needed now if Australia was to transition its 皇冠体育app relationship.

"Australia is kidding itself if it thinks it can eternally ride the wave of its recent terms of trade boom and this statement from the prime minister is a welcome sign that the new government takes the 皇冠体育app relationship seriously."

Pearcey told Xinhua that the prime minister's initiative to include state premiers in trade diplomacy is long overdue.

"This means that the term 'Team Australia' will finally mean something. State governments have been doing their own thing for far too long and while its understandable that they pursue their own interests, the reality is that Brand Australia carries significant clout in-market but individual states carry limited brand recognition.