Han Ximin

    ximhan@126.com

    A CULINARY event with some 300 invitees from Western Australia and China will be held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Futian District in Shenzhen today, the first day of Australia Week in China (AWIC), to celebrate the inauguration of the three-day EAST x WEST Forum that is meant to promote trade and cultural links.

    The event, sponsored by the Pardoo Beef Corp., features a range of Western Australian food products cooked by a selection of top chefs led by Don Hancey, the Western Australia Food Ambassador.

    “The focus of the forum is how Shenzhen and Western Australia can collaborate in the commercial field. It is good to have this event to encourage many businesspeople to visit China with a view of establishing trade with China,” said Monica Chetty, director with Pardoo Beef Corp.

    Western Australia is focusing on innovation in agriculture and business, Chetty said.

    The forum has activities designed to encourage understanding and collaboration. It is centered around cultural exchanges, education, investment, tourism and migration.

    Fred Combe, co-founder and CEO of China International Duty Free, said the culinary event is just a teaser.

    “Western Australia is a natural partner for China because they have some fantastic produce, seafood, beef, vines and vegetables. The Chinese consumer market is exploding. Why can’t more produce come from West Australia to Chinese consumers? The quality Chinese consumers are looking for is much more sophisticated today, and they also want transparency and traceability,” said Combe.

    In another development, a science and technology exchange meeting between China and Australia will be held in the city today. More than 100 science and technology institutes, enterprises and universities will attend the meeting, which is organized by Shenzhen science and technology authorities and the Australian consulate general in Guangzhou.

    The Shenzhen events are part of the more than 150 events to be held during AWIC across 10 Chinese cities, including Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Xiamen, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing and Shenyang.

    Representatives from more than 1,000 Australian businesses will take part in AWIC, to be held from today to Friday.