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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 9 Hansard (7 September) . . Page.. 3025 ..
MS CARNELL (continuing):
The two governments agree to develop diplomatic relations, friendship and cooperation between the two countries on the basis of the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference into each other's internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.
Mr Deputy Speaker, it goes on from there, but I think that we would find that many people would still agree that that is as the relationship should be with China and other countries.
The ACT government's commitment over the past four years to marketing and promoting itself in China as a tourism, business, education and investment destination has already started to pay off. According to the BTR international visitors survey, the number of international visitors to the ACT from China increased from 2,590 in 1989 to 15,990 in 1999, with a high of 18,443 in 1998.
In the education sector, ACT schools increased their intake of full-fee-paying Chinese students from five in 1998 to 180 currently and this figure is expected to increase to 240 in the next 12 months. Those figures were provided by the international education unit of ACT education. Furthermore, the University of Canberra is exporting its courses to China through joint venture programs with two of the country's top universities. The Asia business management centre of the ANU currently carries out management courses for Ericsson in Beijing and in 1999-2000 generated income of $1.5 million.
The ACT environmental sector is also beginning to establish productive business links, with local firm Kiah Environmental securing its first China contract for environmental landscaping last year. The future looks even brighter for ACT firms to do business with Beijing and greater China. The establishment of the Canberra Beijing Cooperative Business Council to manage the relationship and to identify business opportunities has provided the ideal forum for frank and direct discussion with regard to collaborative projects.
The council, consisting of top-level private and public sector representatives from both sides, held its inaugural meeting in Canberra in March of this year. As a result of the meeting, both sides agreed to develop exchange programs and cooperative projects in urban waste treatment, air pollution control and grey water recycling. Beijing agreed to send groups of officials and managers to Canberra for short-term training in environmental management. Beijing also expressed interest in the ACT's no waste by 2010 strategy, with the possibility of a Beijing district modelling the strategy and the ACT providing technical support.
Further cooperative agreements were reached in the areas of tourism, specifically reciprocal marketing arrangements, and education. By far the most exciting of the current Canberra-Beijing discussions are centred upon the Olympics and the potential for the ACT to assist Beijing in the development of an environmental strategy for its 2008 Olympic Games bid.
The ACT government has been careful to consult with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at all stages in the development of a Canberra-Beijing relationship and DFAT is supportive of the ACT government's China policies and initiatives. DFAT shares the
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