High-level visit to Melbourne Stops Traffic; Chin Communications provided Mandarin Interpreting Services for the visit
ANNIVERSARIES STOP TRAFFIC
In mid-December, Melbourne’s streets were cleared and all lights turned to green when the chief of Victoria’s Sister-State, Jiangsu Province, His Excellency Liang Baohua, Party Secretary of Jiangsu and Chairman of the Standing Committee of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Congress, and a large business delegation arrived to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Sister-State relationship. It seemed as if royalty was in town – such is the importance attached to the relationship by the Victorian Government and a jam-packed program showcased much of what Victoria has to offer. The gala anniversary celebrations were attended by a who’s who in China business and all members of the Victorian Cabinet.
Chin Communications’s MD, Charles Qin, and his team, provided Mandarin interpreting services and translations of MOUs etc for the visit.
Jiangsu Province is China’s third richest after Guangdong and Shandong provinces with around US$435 billion in GDP, annual growth of 12% and a population of 74 million. Victoria was the first overseas state to become a sister, and the relationship is very beneficial to Australia, including in scientific research, biotechnology, sustainable urban development, textiles, culture and art, tourism, agricultural production, animal husbandry, fashion, transport technologies, clean energy and, of course, education. Victoria’s trade with China (largest trading partner) is around $13.5 billion in 2009. During this visit alone, about 8 Memoranda of Understanding were signed in areas from education to health to wool. Jiangsu purchased more than $200 million worth of Victoria’s wool in 2008.
