Winter 2021 UpdateIn 2021, Global Victoria and the Victorian Government Trade and Investment offices in China supported Victorian businesses to participate in virtual trade shows in China to promote their exports. |  |
The Hainan Consumer Products Expo
The Hainan Consumer Products Expo was held in Haikou, Hainan Province on 6 May 2021.
Victorian businesses were business matched with Guangdong and Hainan food importers. A livestreaming program with Chinese on-line key opinion leaders promoted Victorian brands at the Expo. Coles, Murray River Organics and ViPlus Dairy were some of the Victorian exporters who attended the Expo.
The China International Beauty Expo was held in Shanghai in May 2021.
Our team from the VGTI offices in China helped Victorian beauty product exporters access a livestreaming program to boost their exposure to industry buyers and influencers. Victorian companies participating in the Expo included: Vitality Brands, Total Beauty Network, DPP Pharmaceuticals (Goat Soap), Nativebliss, and Bio-E.
ChinaBio Networking Forum
The ChinaBio Networking Forum was held in Shanghai in May 2021.
Our team from the VGTI offices in China created business matching opportunities for Victorian participants to meet virtually with Chinese counterparts to discuss business opportunities. Victorian participants included: 360biolabs, the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Cancer Trials Australia, and St Vincent's Hospital.
SIAL China Food Expo
SIAL China Food Expo was held in Shanghai in May 2021.
Our team from the VGTI offices in China established a Victorian booth at the Expo which was attended by over 146,000 food industry professionals. A tasting program of Victorian food attracted significant interest from Chinese buyers.
Global Victoria hosted a Victorian exhibitor and Chinese buyers networking dinner during the event to further promote export sales. Victorian delegates at SIAL China included: Annex Food, Bulla Dairy, Coles, Dairy Farmers, Four Pillars , CAPI, Laurent Bakery, Select Harvests, and Yumbah Abalone.
On the horizon
The fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) will be held in Shanghai from 5-10 November 2021. In 2020, Global Victoria hosted a Victorian Pavilion for 28 Victorian companies.
Most of the Victorian exhibitors were from food and beverage, health and nutrtion, cosmetics and beauty product industries.
Victorian exporters are welcome to join the Victorian presence at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November 2021. Head to our Virtual Trade Mission page to find out more.
Summer 2021 Update
In July 2020, Brett Stevens was appointed the new Commissioner for Victoria to Greater China.
From the head office in Shanghai, Brett will work to advance Victoria’s trade and investment interests in China through five Victorian Government Trade and Investment offices (Shanghai, Beijing, Nanjing, Chengdu and Hong Kong).
Brett served as Victoria’s Commissioner to Southeast Asia from 2013 to 2020.
He has over 25 years of international trade experience in Asia in both the public and private sectors. With an extensive background in agribusiness project management in Australia and Asia, Brett has a practical understanding of developing business opportunities and brings a strong commercial perspective to the role of Commissioner.
Brett’s immediate priorities in the role include:
- delivering virtual and digital engagements with key Chinese partners in trade, investment and education
- leveraging government relationships, including Sister-State relationships with Jiangsu and Sichuan to achieve tangible commercial outcomes
- expanding Victoria’s engagement to new priority regions in China.
Brett summarised the challenges and opportunities facing Victorian businesses in China:
“We recognise the challenges that coronavirus (COVID-19) presents to Victorian businesses operating globally.
To help deal with these challenges, the Victorian Government has released an Export Recovery Package to address logistics and supply chain issues caused by the pandemic, and establish new export channels. Businesses will be connected to international markets through virtual trade missions to connect with Chinese buyers of Victorian goods virtually, as well as assistance to adapt their export strategies to respond to the rapidly changing global market.
Our whole team here in China is already helping Victorian businesses renew and expand exports and drive job growth in Victoria. But it is vital that we identify and capitalise on the opportunities that this period of turbulence brings.
eCommerce has been super-charged by this crisis and opportunities to operate virtually could lead to real growth opportunities and lower costs for Victorian businesses.
This is a fascinating time and already opportunities are presenting themselves for Victorian businesses. I and the whole team here in China are ready to help them get exports moving to China.”
In-market Insights Video Series 2020
In-Market Insights is a series of videos presented by Global Victoria's team members from across its international network of 23 Victorian Government Trade and Investment offices (VGTIs). The series will shed light on the current state of play in key global markets and sectors.
CHINA - Health and Wellbeing October 2020
Episode 24 features Global Victoria's Michael Baird - Strategic Advisor, and Michael Zhang - Senior Trade Manager from our Trade and Investment (VGTI) office in Shanghai, China. They share insights on emerging opportunities for Victorian food, and health and wellness businesses looking to engage with the region.
CHINA - Health and Wellbeing October 2020
CHINA - Education June 2020
Qian Li, Global Victoria’s Education Services Manager from our Beijing Victorian Government Trade and Investment (VGTI) office in Beijing shares her expertise on emerging opportunities in China for Victorian education providers.
VIDEO: Global Victoria's In-market Insights - CHINA Education June 2020
CHINA May 2020
In this episode, Global Victoria’s Deputy Commissioner to China, Lisa Renkin – based in Chengdu – shares her expert knowledge about emerging opportunities in China for Victorian businesses.
VIDEO: Global Victoria's In-market Insights - CHINA May 2020
Spring 2019 update
Global Victoria’s trade missions play an essential role in supporting Victorian businesses to expand in global markets, including China. In 2020 there is a broad range of outbound and inbound events:
- Our outbound trade missions take Victorian businesses to China to showcase business capabilities and connect them with buyers, partners and business leaders.
- Our inbound trade missions welcome business leaders from China to Victoria to meet local suppliers of goods and services.
Winter 2019 update
The staging of an Australian Football League (AFL) regular season game in Shanghai provides a platform to promote Victoria’s globally competitive sports ecosystem.
The most recent game, held on 2 June 2019 between St Kilda and Port Adelaide, was the third match ever played outside Australia and New Zealand for premiership points and the first to involve a Victorian club. The game attracted a crowd of approximately 10,000 people and a television audience of 3.9 million (of which 3.7 million were Chinese viewers).
In support of the China game, St Kilda ran a five-day corporate program for more than 60 companies, around half of which were Victorian, while the AFL hosted a Gala Dinner that was attended by 550 Australian and Chinese guests and showcased Victorian products.
The AFL’s involvement in China is just the tip of the sports iceberg. Victoria is well placed to help China achieve its plan to grow its sports industry to one per cent of GDP by 2020.
In 2019, Global Victoria has worked to build the relationships and connections necessary for Victoria’s sports industry to develop relations with China by:
- supporting the National Basketball League’s newest franchise, the South East Melbourne Phoenix to complete a preseason tour of China. In May, the Phoenix played its first ever competitive games against the Jiangsu Dragons and Shanghai Sharks in Nanjing and Shanghai, respectively
- assisting the Victorian Racing Club to launch its International Fashions on the Field project in Shanghai, showcasing Victoria’s high-quality fashion and entertainment to drive greater international attendance at the Melbourne Cup Carnival
- signing a Letter of Intent with the Shanghai Administration of Sport agreeing to work together to foster collaboration and cooperation, including exploring opportunities to organise inbound and outbound sports trade missions to create new export opportunities for Victorian firms.
In 2020, there are many exciting potential sports events that will further Victoria and China cooperation, including collaborations in tennis and cricket.
Greater China: an overview and insights
Read our powerpoint presentation of Greater China: an overview and insights PDF, 1.3 MB taken from our inaugural Export Summit, GVx held in October 2019Autumn 2019 update
In April 2019, The Victorian Premier joined joined the Governor of Jiangsu Province, Wu Zhenglong, in Nanjing at a ceremony to mark Victoria’s oldest and most enduring sister-state relationship that has been the cornerstone of Victoria’s Chinese engagement for many years.
Over four decades since 1979, Victoria and Jiangsu have worked together successfully in a range of sectors, including science, technology and innovation, creative arts, and education, and has seen:
- almost 52,000 tourists from Jiangsu visit Victoria in 2018, which is up nearly 42 per cent since 2014
- 138 Victorian students taking part in intensive language study in Jiangsu Province thanks to the Victorian Government’s Hamer Scholarships Program, which is about boosting cultural ties and knowledge
- the Southeast University-Monash University Joint Graduate School at Suzhou having 647 graduates from the school since opening in 2012, with 633 currently studying on campus
- over 50 Jiangsu and Victorian workers involved in workforce training and development thanks to the Victoria-Jiangsu Health Collaboration Agreement
- more than 900 medical professionals taking part in reciprocal visits for training and clinical exchanges.
As part of the anniversary, Victoria and Jiangsu will participate in an artist-in-residency program. This will provide the opportunity for a Victorian artist to travel to Jiangsu, to create an artwork to be gifted to our sister-state, with Victoria hosting an artist from Jiangsu.
Greater China: an overview and insights from Global Victoria's Export (GVx) Summit 2019
Read our powerpoint presentation of Greater China: an overview and insights PDF, 1.3 MB taken from our inaugural Export Summit, GVx held in October 2019Victoria's China Strategy
Victoria's China Strategy provides a plan to:
- support economic growth in Victoria and in China
- deepen our understanding of each others' people and culture.
It set four ambitious ten-year targets from 2016 to 2026, across trade, investment, visitors and students.
The 2018 progress report highlights the achievements and successes since the initial strategy was launched.
In the first 2 years, 2 of the 4 key targets have already been exceeded. Victoria has received more investment and more postgraduate students from China than the established targets. We're on track to surpass all targets by 2026.
The progress report also highlights the strength of our cultural ties and people-to-people links, showcasing:
- our shared success in education, government and cultural collaboration
- how we are achieving our vision of becoming Australia's gateway to Asia.
Read Victoria's China Strategy
Serious about exporting?
Whether you’re a Victorian business looking at entering new markets, expanding into additional markets, or taking on more challenging high-growth markets, our free online self-assessment tool, Go Global will show you how to get there.
Through a series of export-focused questions, Go Global works by measuring your business’s capability and capacity in nine key areas. Nominate yourself and up to five key stakeholders from your business to take part in the self-assessment to receive a holistic overview of your business's export-readiness.
Once all nominees have completed their self-assessments, you'll receive a comprehensive report highlighting your business's strengths and capabilties, and recommended next steps to help you go global.
Go Global is a useful tool for the development or refinement of your market entry strategy:
- Identifying strengths
- Identify gaps in capabilities
- Recommending the next steps to bridge those gaps and support your export journey.
