Opening Remarks to the China-Australia Media Forum.docVIP

Opening Remarks to the China-Australia Media Forum Her Excellency Ms Frances Adamson, Australian Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China Imperial Springs Resort, Guangdong Thursday, 28 June, 2012 Vice Minister Qian Xiaoqian of the State Council Information Office, Guangdong Vice Governor Lei Yulan, Vice Minister Mo Gaoyi of the Guangdong Publicity Bureau, Mr Angelos Frangopolous, Chief Executive, Australian News Channel, Ms Jill Collins, Australia’s Consul-General in Guangzhou, Dr Geoff Raby, former Australian Ambassador to China; Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, It is a pleasure to be with you today at the China-Australia Media Forum. I’d like thank the organisers – Australian News Channel and the State Council Information Office – for their initiative in taking up again the idea of a media forum, and bringing together an impressive group of panellists and media, business and government participants in the year in which we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Australia and the People’s Republic of China. I’d also like to thank our hosts at the Imperial Springs Resort, especially Dr Chau Chak Wing, Chairman of Kingold Group. Some of the Australian participants may be visiting China for the first time. What you see and hear while you are here, the people you meet, the conversations you have, the food you eat, the baijiu you drink, the observations you make, the conclusions you draw - all this will become your personal China “benchmark” against which you will, naturally enough, measure future changes. Old hands, whether you last visited 20 years or six months ago, will be updating and probably resizing your previous benchmark. I expect you will all instinctively want to engage in some professional analysis in addition to any personal impressions. Many of our Chinese friends attending the forum today will have their own Australian “benchmarks” and will understand what I mean ab