Australia-China Business Week – Keynote Address by Ahmed Fahour

This is the second year that we – at Australia Post and StarTrack – have been a Principal Sponsor of this event. Our decision to sponsor Australia-China Business Week really is a reflection of our growing commercial partnerships in China.

Last November, I had the privilege of being in Canberra on the day that President Xi Jinping addressed our Federal Parliament. In terms of landmark days for the Australian-Chinese relationship, I don’t think there’s another one that comes even close.

Of course, that day – 17 November, 2014 – will also be etched in history as the day that we concluded the decade-long negotiations on the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. Or “ChAFTA”, as it has come to be known. I went to Canberra on 17 November last year to participate in a signing ceremony with our business partners, China Union Pay. The signing of our MoU was one of about 20 different agreements that the political leaders of our two nations witnessed on that day.