Premier

Victoria Kicking Goals In China’s Sports Industry

22 May 2018

A recent trade mission to China has strengthened the Andrews Labor Government’s drive to win a bigger share of the $US300 billion Chinese sports industry.

Minister for Trade and Investment Philip Dalidakis attended a Shanghai and Melbourne Business of Sport Roundtable event, which was an opportunity to showcase Victoria’s expertise in major events, sports medicine and technology to high-level industry leaders and decision makers.

The event has already led to positive outcomes for Victorian business, including an agreement between Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Nutrigel to manufacture and export Chinese health products, and an MoU that will see the International Rehabilitation Institute open a Chinese clinic and training centre.

Mr Dalidakis also attended the Gold Coast versus Port Adelaide game in Shanghai, which was the most watched game in AFL history, with millions of Chinese viewers tuning in to get a taste of Australia’s national game.

China’s Five-Year Sport and Development Plan sets ambitious targets to grow the industry to about $US460 billion by 2020 and Victoria is a world leader in many of the sectors needed to achieve this goal.

Sport was just one component of Mr Dalidakis’ mission to China, which also included the announcement of a new agreement between Victoria and the massive Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone (CHIDZ).

The agreement will see Victorian researchers, startups and digital technology companies working with Chinese partners in the CHIDZ, which features more than 33,000 companies from China and across the globe.

Mr Dalidakis also led Victorian delegations to the China International Beauty Expo, the biggest beauty industry event in China with more than 450,000 buyers and industry leaders, to promote Victoria’s high-end beauty and wellbeing products.

While Mr Dalidakis was in China, Victorian companies were also cleaning up at the Australia-China Business Awards (ACBA). Hosted by the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai last week, the awards recognised six Victorian companies for leadership in Australia-China business.

Costa Group, Total Livestock Genetics, ANZ Global Services and Operations, Swisse Wellness, MiniterEllison and Caulfield Grammar School’s Nanjing Campus all won awards across a wide range of categories.

The Labor Government is delivering on its promise to boost trade and investment with China to create more local jobs, recently announcing it had hit the ten-year investment targets set out in Victoria’s China strategy within just two years.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Trade and Investment Philip Dalidakis

“China has ambitious plans to grow its sports industry, which presents enormous opportunities for Victorian companies to expand and create jobs.”

“The Australia-China Business Awards show that Victorian companies have the ability to flourish anywhere in the world. We’re proud of them and look forward to helping more local businesses do the same.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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