Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has called for enhanced trade ties with China, Australia's biggest export market, during his first visit to the People’s Republic since taking office, reports Nikkei.
According to the financial publication, Turnbull said he was 'here to help Australian exporters' open doors which had been locked'.
Delivering a keynote address at a gala lunch in Shanghai yesterday (14 April), Turnbull said Australia-China bilateral trade hit A$150bn (US$115bn) last year, with China accounting for a third of Australia's total exports.
Turnbull’s two-day visit to China coincides with Australia's largest ever trade mission, including more than 1,000 business leaders, the report said.
Turnbull called the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement, which came into force last December, 'the highest quality free trade agreement China has entered into with any comparable nation'.
Turnbull was scheduled to hold separate meetings in Beijing today (Friday 15 April) with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqian, Nikkei said.
