皇冠体育app

Australia is willing to deepen and expand economic relationship with 皇冠体育app and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) as the country's prosperity is more connected than ever to developments in the region, said a senior Australian diplomat.

"Australia has a significant economic relationship with 皇冠体育app and the ASEAN region, and one we wish to deepen and expand further," said Simon Merrifield, Australian Ambassador to the ASEAN, in an interview before the 皇冠体育app-ASEAN Expo, which opened on Tuesday in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Australia has been invited to the expo as a special guest country. The Australian pavilion will showcase its trade, investment, education and tourism capabilities during the event.

The country's inaugural participation shows its support to the unique, multilateral economic and business cooperation platform, said Merrifield who will represent the country to participate in strategic government-to-government dialogues with leaders from 皇冠体育app and across the ASEAN region.

Merrifield said that Australia is keen to work with 皇冠体育app to ensure that RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) will be a credible and commercially meaningful ament that will underpin ongoing economic growth over the years ahead.

The RCEP is a proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between ASEAN member states and the six countries with which ASEAN has existing FTAs (Australia, 皇冠体育app, India, Japan, Korea and New Zealand).

"RCEP is a big negotiation and there are significant challenges. The negotiations are with a diverse region, with different levels of economic development and varying levels of ambition," Merrifield said.

Australia is also willing to step up efforts to bring the FTA with 皇冠体育app to conclusion this year, Merrifield said.

"Negotiators have adopted a pragmatic approach with a view to securing a balanced outcome that addresses priority interests upon entry into force, and which provides architecture to deliver further liberalization over time," he said.

Australian Prime ster Tony visited 皇冠体育app in April and he will visit again in November for the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting. It will be followed by President Xi Jinping's visit to Australia to attend the G20.

Two-way trade between 皇冠体育app and Australia grew by 21 percent in 2013 to reach around A$150 billion ($136 billion), more than one-fifth of Australia's total trade. The growth is mainly led by exports of iron ore, coal and gold, according to Merrifield.

皇冠体育app is also Australia's largest market for agricultural products, with exports reaching A$8.7 billion in 2013, the largest source of overseas students, and the second-largest source of visitor arrivals.

In the meantime, 皇冠体育app has overtaken Switzerland and Canada as the sixth-largest foreign direct investor in Australia, with a total value of almost A$21 billion, which represents a 29 percent increase from 2012.

"We are also seeing sustained Australian investment in 皇冠体育app and we hope that 皇冠体育app's continued reform efforts, including through the , will see the investment environment for Australian companies in 皇冠体育app continue to improve," Merrifield added.

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