Australia-China Business and Commerce Association Successfully Concludes Chinese New Year Business Networking Event

By Staff Reporter Li Guannan

Photos by Julia Zhang

On February 20, during the joyous occasion of the Lunar New Year (the second day of the Year of the Sheep), the Australia-China Business and Commerce Association (ACBCA) hosted a New Year networking event at the multifunctional banquet hall of The Cullen Hotel in Prahran. Over 50 business leaders from Australia and China gathered to celebrate, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

At the event, Mr. Sun Guozhao, Chairman of the Australia-China Business and Commerce Association, delivered a welcome speech to the attendees, celebrating the Chinese New Year and outlining the association's goals and mission for 2015 regarding business exchanges between Australia and China. Following his address, other distinguished guests, including Ken Smith, former President of the Victorian Legislative Council and Honorary Chairman of the ACBCA; Mr. Huang Guobin, Deputy Consul-General of the Chinese Consulate in Melbourne; Mr. Hom Lim, Victorian State Parliament member and Deputy Minister for Asia Relations; Jonathan Deague, Executive Director of Asian Pacific Group; and Bronwyn Dunwoodie, Business Manager of Wine by Sam winery, each gave speeches to congratulate the association on the occasion.

Additional guests included Cr. Yang Qianhui from Manningham City Council, Cr. Serge Thomann from Port Phillip City Council, My Linh Pham, Manager of Victoria's Major Project and Investment Immigration Department, Mr. Xu Weizhong, Chairman of Golden Pond Capital Group and Vice Chairman of the ACBCA, and Mr. John Mitchell, Chairman of Mitchell Asset Management and Vice Chairman of the ACBCA.

In his speech, Chairman Sun Guozhao introduced the Australia-China Business and Commerce Association, headquartered in Melbourne. He explained that the association’s main purpose is to establish an efficient platform for business exchanges between Australia and China, regularly organizing business events, forums, trade visits, and providing targeted matchmaking services. The association aims to facilitate business cooperation between members of both countries. The ACBCA has received recognition and support from both Australian and Chinese government departments and is expected to expand further in 2015 with the support of various sectors.

Ken Smith also congratulated the ACBCA on its establishment and growth while celebrating the Chinese New Year. He noted that both Australia and China have numerous complementary resources and emphasized the importance of visionaries like Mr. Sun Guozhao in bridging the two nations, facilitating cooperation, and creating opportunities for mutual benefit. He expressed confidence that with the signing of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement and the continued promotion of related initiatives, platforms like the ACBCA would become increasingly popular. He believes that under Mr. Sun’s leadership, the association will serve its members more effectively, providing convenience to entrepreneurs from both countries and contributing to the friendship and economic development between Australia and China.

Mr. Huang Guobin, Deputy Consul-General of the Chinese Consulate in Melbourne, highly commended and praised the ACBCA for its efforts in promoting economic development and trade exchanges between Australia and China. He expressed the consulate’s full support for the association.

During the networking event, guests frequently raised their glasses, engaged in lively conversations, made new connections, and explored business opportunities. Many remarked that the event was an excellent platform for strengthening Australia-China business exchanges, attracting more participants to the field and creating more opportunities for growth and cooperation.

Chairman Sun Guozhao also shared with reporters that the ACBCA has already established representative offices in several cities in China, offering assistance to its Australian-registered members looking to develop in China. In 2015, the association plans to host more targeted networking and exchange events, focusing on key industries such as real estate, education, agriculture, food, health, and mining, providing point-to-point support to its members and creating more opportunities for collaboration between Australian and Chinese businesses.