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Australia China Business Council has won support for initiatives to drive new business opportunities with Australia’s leading economic partner.

My proposal for Australia to launch a “Food Moonshot” to increase sales of Australia’s produce won support this week at the National Press Club.

Vice President of the World Farmers’ Federation, Fiona Simson, said she “loved” the Initiative designed to turn requirements to track and trace produce from the paddock to the plate from a compliance burden into a marketing platform for Australia’s premium produce.

This taskforce report captures strategic guidance on key trade priorities and challenges and how to navigate them in complex times to support Australia’s resilience and prosperity. The report is attached here. 

Delighted key Australian Government decision makers in Senator Farrell and Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Matt Thistlethwaite have supported the ACBC’s new leadership in recent weeks.

Likewise, Victoria’s Minister for Economic Development and Jobs, Steve Dimopoulos. He joined a meeting of ACBC members following the successful Innovation Summit in Melbourne creating connections, partnerships and pathways so innovation can accelerate from capability to commercial results. 

Frank McGuire

CEO

ACBC Victoria

ACBC Vic Property Forum - Modular and Prefabricated Construction

Bringing together leaders from government, construction, development, retail and finance, this forum will explore the challenges and opportunities shaping Australia’s housing future, with a focus on modular and prefabricated construction as a pathway to faster, more scalable and cost-effective housing delivery.

Hear from industry leaders and experts as they address: 

• An update on Australia’s housing outlook and policy priorities 

• Housing affordability and the role of modular and prefabricated construction 

• Insights from Hong Kong’s modular integrated construction sector and opportunities in Australia 

• Government incentives and the role of industry collaboration in accelerating adoption 

• Supply chain resilience, logistics and risk considerations for large-scale projects 

• Perspectives from developers, builders and major retail stakeholders on scalability and market readiness 

Event Details

Date: Friday, 17 July 2026
Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM AEST, including networking session
Venue: International Chamber House, Level 5, 121 Exhibition St, Melbourne

Please bring valid ID to facilitate security pass processing

Tickets:

ACBC Member: $59+GST+BF

Non Member: $99+GST+BF

We are unable to offer refunds but we will accept substitute attendees – please contact us for details. For any queries please contact [email protected]

[EXCLUSIVELY] FREE EVENT FOR MEMBERS
JULY - ACBC VIC Government-Business Briefing

ACBC Victoria is delighted to invite Victorian members to our monthly virtual briefing for 2026 with ACBC Vic Ex Officio members including DFAT, Austrade, Global Victoria and the City of Melbourne.

A must-attend for China-engaged Victorian business leaders. Receive valuable and timely information during a 30-min monthly briefing from government representatives leading Victoria’s economic engagement with our largest trading partner.

Speakers will provide Victorian-focused updates, trends and policy directions to help you align your business objectives for 2026. Ask questions, share insights and join the conversation.

Exclusive to ACBC Vic members. Running on the third Thursday of each month to November 2026. Please submit any questions ahead of time during registration.

Event Details

Date: Thursday, 16 July 2026
Time: 9:00 AM - 9:30 AM AEST
Platform: Online via Microsoft Teams
Members-Only: FREE

Please note - as we are currently transitioning off Eventbrite, members who have already registered please re-register using the link below so we don't accidently miss you!

Save the Date - Canberra Networking Day (CND): 9-10 September 2026 

Join us in Canberra for ACBC's flagship event, as we explore Engagement to Advantage: Building Australia's China Capability facilitated again by David Speers. host of ABC's Insiders.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has confirmed with more speakers and ticket details to be released shortly, but in case you missed last year, we are pleased to present our Canberra Networking Day 2025 Report and the official video: Australia China Business Council | Canberra Networking Day 2025.

ACBC membership is nation-wide through a 'home' branch. We therefore welcome our members to register for events that our other branches may be organising.

Strategic Breakfast Briefing with Minister Don Farrell

The Australia China Business Council Victoria hosted a highly successful event to drive business development and trade with Australia’s biggest economic partner.

Australia’s Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration, Matt Thistlethwaite, encouraged Australian businesses, particularly exporters of food, dairy, meat, seafood and wine, to engage with the China International Import Expo to be held in Shanghai from November 5-10.

We extend our sincere thanks to ACBC’s new leadership team headed by National and Victorian President, Rhys Roberts, for his insights and sponsorship, and ACBC Victoria CEO, Frank McGuire, for the new strategic vision and hosting. We also thank Assistant Minister Matt Thistlethwaite, who represented the Australian Government after Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator Don Farrell, was unfortunately a late apology due to ill health.

Thanks also to Hall & Wilcox for hosting the event and to Harmony Agriculture & Food Co. for their partnership and support.

Click here for the full event report

Click here for the event photos

Briefing with Minister Steve Dimopoulos

ACBC Victoria, in partnership with Global Victoria, was pleased to host an exclusive roundtable with Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs, Steve Dimopoulos, on 25 June.

Moderated by ACBC Victoria CEO Frank McGuire, the discussion brought together senior leaders from the medical, agriculture, finance, and renewable technology sectors to explore opportunities to strengthen Victoria's economic growth through international trade and investment.

Minister Steve Dimopoulos and Global Victoria Executive Director Fiona Letos shared the Victorian Government's trade priorities and economic growth agenda, reinforcing the value of strong public-private partnerships in driving investment, job creation, and deeper commercial engagement with China.

Our thanks to Global Victoria for co-hosting this event, and to Minister Dimopoulos, Fiona Letos, Rhys Roberts, and Frank McGuire for their valuable insights and contributions.

Click here for the full event report

Click here for the event photos

The China Visitor Economy Report Launch

ACBC is pleased to announce the launch of The China Visitor Economy: Rebuilding Momentum and Unlocking Australia’s Full Opportunity, developed in collaboration with L.E.K. Consulting and with funding support from the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade).

Drawing on extensive industry insights and analysis, the report examines the evolving preferences and behaviours of Chinese travellers and the opportunities these changes present for Australia's visitor economy.

The report finds that while Chinese traveller expectations continue to evolve, Australia remains a highly attractive destination. It also highlights the important role the visitor economy plays in strengthening education, trade, investment, and broader economic engagement between Australia and China.

As Australia seeks to rebuild momentum in one of its most valuable international visitor markets, the report provides practical insights into how industry and government can respond to changing consumer expectations and position Australia for long-term success.

Download the report below to gain insights into how the visitor experience can evolve to meet changing expectations and strengthen Australia's long-term engagement with China.

ACBC Victoria extends a warm congratulations to our Vice President, Dr Celina Ping Yu OAM, who was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for service to business education and international trade.

We are incredibly proud to celebrate this achievement and thank for her continued leadership within ACBC Victoria.

Global Vic - Melbourne Global Exchange
From 31 August – 11 September 2026, Melbourne will host a series of world-class business events that will unite the world's most influential voices in business, sport, government and industry.

Across two high-impact weeks, Melbourne Global Exchange provides a powerful platform to connect with global peers, collaborate on world-leading innovations, and unlock new opportunities to enhance trade and investment globally.

Be part of a series of world-class business and sporting events, spanning food and beverage, fintech, innovation and AI, and sports business; culminating in the historic first NFL regular season game ever played on Australian soil.

Austrade - CIIE 2026 Team Australia Pavilion Kick-off
We are excited to announce that recruitment for the 2026 China International Import Expo (CIIE) has commenced.

Building on the success of Australian presence at China’s most important import expo in the past eight years, Austrade will continue to work with stakeholders to run a Team Australia Pavilion in the CIIE Food & Agriculture Hall.

Expression of Interest (EOI) is now open

• Please feel free to use the linked document that has more details.

• The EOI can be made online at: EOI CIIE 2026 or on mobile phone by scanning the attached QR code.

Next steps and major timeline

• Closure date for Australian companies to express their interest to participate (EOI) is Friday 31 July.

• Please feel free to contact the Austrade CIIE Project team with questions or feedback through [email protected] at any time.

Thank you for your continuous support. We look forward to working with you on this year’s CIIE.

City of Melbourne Update
June featured several significant City of Melbourne engagements with China, including a startup delegation to Australia-China Innovation Week, high-level meetings at the World Cities Summit, climate and innovation discussions through C40, support for the Australia–China Innovation Summit, and insights into changing international student trends from China. These activities continue to strengthen Melbourne's partnerships across trade, innovation, education and city diplomacy.

Read the full update for more details

Use of banned pesticides still presents upsides for foreign brands in China

China has spent years tightening food safety rules, but one stubborn problem keeps resurfacing: banned pesticides are still being found in fresh produce.

A recent First Financial report (in Chinese) found that in the first half of 2026, banned or restricted pesticides were detected in vegetables and fruit across multiple provinces...

Read more

Source: China Skinny

Labor's Boost For Local Manufacturing

Labor is backing local manufacturing, creating new jobs and supplying sporting venues across the state.

Minister Dimopoulos today visited APT Asia Pacific’s facility, which has received a $10 million upgrade.

The expansion strengthens APT's Dandenong South headquarters and manufacturing base with an extra 50 skilled workers.

It will now deliver more than 1,000 hard court surfaces each year, supporting professional and community sports.

Read more

Source: Premier of Victoria

Hong Kong Update

The 'world's toughest gym': how global companies fight to survive in China

Foreign executives used to come to China to study shoppers. Today, many come to study their future competitors. That shift, according to Joe Ngai, chairman of Greater China at McKinsey & Company, says almost everything about how China’s role in the global economy has changed.

For much of the past two decades, China was the market multinationals could not afford to miss. The formula was often straightforward: enter the market, ride the growth of a rapidly expanding middle class and capture a share of the world’s largest consumer base...

Read more

More Articles

• AXA, Standard Chartered eye expansion in Hong Kong's booming offshore wealth market

• China accelerates digital yuan push as 26 banks join new cross-border platform

• From Alo to Texas Chicken, foreign brands bet on China despite stiff rivalry

DRIVEN Charger Grant Stream

The DRIVEN Charger Grant Stream grant opportunity makes $20 million available for the installation of new, public, fast EV charging stations at automotive dealership and EV repairer premises and, in turn, bolsters Australia’s public fast charger network.

Applications close: Friday 28 August 2026, 5.00pm

Apply here

Learn more by registering for the upcoming information session:

Register for the 9 July 2026 session

Source: Business.gov

MRFF 2026 National Critical Research Infrastructure

This program provides funding to establish and extend infrastructure of critical importance, that will be used to conduct world-class health and medical research in areas of unmet medical need.

Grants to fund research infrastructure projects, up to $3 million in Streams 1, 2 and 4, and up to $7 million in Stream 3.

Applications close: Tuesday 14 July 2026, 5.00pm

Apply here

Source: Business.gov

ACBC Victoria's nine member-only working groups and forums serve as knowledge hubs and information exchanges, driving events and content. The Working Groups work are important platforms for frank and open dialogue where participants have the opportunity to discuss their business, make important connections and hear the latest news regarding their sector through an Australia-China lens.

We warmly invite expressions of interest from our members who would like to participate.

Upcoming Working Group meeting dates:

• Property & Development Thursday 20 August 12.00 noon - 1.00pm

• Agribusiness & Food Wednesday 19 August 10.00am - 11.00am

• Energy & Resources Thursday 3 September 12.00 noon - 1.00pm

• Future Leaders Forum Tuesday 13 October 4.00pm - 5.00pm

• China Capital Markets Tuesday 8 September 10.00am - 11.00am

• Education & Training Wednesday 8 July 10.00am - 11.00am

• Health & Medical Research Thursday 15 September 11.00am - 12.00noon

• Tourism & Visitor Experience Wednesday 8 July 10.00am - 11.00am

Membership of a Working Group maximises the value of your ACBC membership. For more information, contact [email protected]

We wish a warm welcome to our new members. We thank you all for joining ACBC Victoria and hope to see you soon at our upcoming events!

Elevation 4x4

Elevation 4x4 was founded by tradies Jacob, Justin and Rhyder, who share a love for the outdoors and a passion for entrepreneurship. They wanted to build something of their own gear that actually solved problems instead of just copying what was already out there.

Learn more

TNS Lawyers

TNS Lawyers combines legal expertise with a deep understanding of your business goals, providing actionable solutions focused on outcomes, clear communication and transparency. We’re here to guide you through every legal challenge.

Learn more

Welcome back to our renewing members!

Cornerstone Global Consulting Group

At Cornerstone Global Consulting Group, we believe that every journey begins with a solid foundation. Just as a cornerstone supports the weight of an entire structure, we stand as the bedrock for individuals and businesses seeking to migrate and invest in Australia. Our unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity, and client success sets us apart.

Learn more

Bluescope

We are BlueScope

We are a global leader in metal coating and painting products for building and construction industries, providing vital components for houses, buildings, structures, vehicles and more.

We have built a solid foundation for growth with a diverse portfolio of businesses in some of the largest and fastest growing economies of the world.

Learn more

Chin Communications

Recognised as an industry leader, with our experienced team at your disposal, Chin Communications can help with full translation services and more. You don’t have to keep explaining yourself, our in-house team can support translations to English and Chinese, construct marketing campaigns that convert and much more.

Learn more

Rollspack

Dedicated to personalised service and operational excellence, RollsPack is committed to delivering the best solutions for our clients. Continually seeking new and improved methods, we ensure our technology is cutting edge and utilises quality, environmentally sustainable products and materials.

Learn more

PwC

We’re a tech-forward, people-empowered network. With deep expertise and advanced capabilities, we’ll help you harness technology, make smart investments and be ready for any future. Across audit and assurance, tax and legal, deals and consulting we bring together the teams, resources and alliances you need to act boldly and achieve real results. We help you meet the demands of our ever-changing world with consistent quality and objective advice.

Learn more

The Adjutor Group

The Adjutor Group brings together Adjutor Clinical and Adjutor Healthcare to support your every step from product and clinical development, regulatory, and commercialisation of medicines and medical devices.

Learn more

Stratforms Global

We believe ambitious brands deserve a bigger stage. While every brand’s journey is unique, this framework reflects how we typically guide companies into new markets step-by-step.

Learn more

Not an ACBC Member yet?  Please sign up online, download our brochure, or call us for further details (03) 9027 5606

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