Media release 

Australian Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile

Wednesday MAY 24, 2000
MTV53/2000

Mining companies explore new export seam in China

The Australian mining industry has made a major push into the potentially lucrative market of China with the on-the-ground support of the Minister for Trade, Mark Vaile.

This week Mr Vaile opened an Australian Mining Equipment and Technology Seminar featuring 16 Australian firms seeking a role in China's huge coal-mining sector.

"Australia's status as the world's biggest coal exporter - and our reputation for efficiency and high-quality product - means our industry has much to offer China," Mr Vaile said.

Mr Vaile also met with the Director General of China's powerful State Administration of Coal Industry (SACI), Mr Zhang Baoming.

The Australian companies - which have products and expertise including materials handling, monitoring systems, chemicals, engineering and specialist computer software - briefed 60 officials from SACI.

The Minister's visit to Beijing is part of a week-long Australian Business Mission that he is currently leading in China with over seventy Australian business representatives.

In addition to the Beijing seminar, the 16 mining industry companies are also touring three large regional coal mines elsewhere in China, where they will again brief local officials on the Australian industry's capabilities.

One of Austrade's Beijing-based Trade Commissioners, Mr Murray Davis, said China was the world's largest coal producer, and its 40,000 coal mines employed about four million workers.

"Mr Vaile's involvement in today's seminar - and the Australian Government imprimatur it implies - is crucially important to the industry's efforts to lift its profile in this fast-changing and potentially lucrative market," Mr Davis said.

---