Aussies eye Chinese market
The Australian Government is heading to China to drum up business for local car companiesChina is currently the world's second largest car-manufacturing nation and while most international markets are suffering from decreasing new car sales, China is looking at strong growth in 2009.
Understandably, Australian auto businesses are very keen to get a foothold in China, where companies like Ford and Holden could find lucrative export markets.
Hopes are high that the Minister for Trade (Simon Crean) and the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, (Kim Carr) can pave the way towards new agreements following an upcoming visit to China, aimed at promoting Australia's automotive industry in the booming car manufacturing centres.
"China is a key market for the future of Australia's automotive industry," said Senator Carr. "We will deliver the message that Australia has the auto design and engineering expertise -- including new and green technologies -- to allow Australia to play a lead role in the rapidly changing Chinese auto market.
"Our New Car Plan for a Greener Future sets a policy framework for diversification. We will be meeting with key members of the General Motors Asia Pacific board, including GM Asia Pacific president Nick Reilly, in Shanghai. That meeting highlights the importance of GM Holden to the auto maker's global strategy," commented Senator Carr.
The Australian Ministers will attend a ceremony to mark the "10,000th seat per month" milestone for Australian automotive components manufacturer, Futuris, in its exports to China and will also meet some of the leading Chinese car manufacturers including Shanghai Automotive Industry Cooperation (SAIC), Geely, Chery, Dongfeng and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co (JAC).
"We want to drive greater levels of cooperation between the auto sectors in Australia and China and help Australian companies to secure a bigger slice of the action in the world's largest new passenger car market," Mr Crean said.
The Rudd government says that Australia stands to play a critical supply-chain role to meet the fast-growing demand from China's central and inland regions.
"We are actively pursuing a second track of commercial links at the business-to-business and government-to-business level with China. We are keen to expand Australia's commercial footprint across the breadth of China, including in areas of central and western China," added Mr Crean.
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