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UTS is committed to pursuing excellence in international education, and is dedicated to working with our partners to achieve this aim. The inaugural China Partner Day was held  in Beijing on December 9 2016.  The Partner Day aimed to continue building our valued relationships and engagement with government bodies and key partners in China.  As part of the program, the Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI) was invited to host a plenary discussion looking at current trends in the Australia-China relationship.

The panel comprised of Professor Bob Carr, Director, ACRI; Mr Andrew Robb, Former Trade Minister;  Ms Jan Adams,  Ambassador of Australia to the People’s Republic of China; and Ms Madam Zhao Hong, Vice President of Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation of Ministry of Commerce of China.

The plenary topic was: “Building the Australia-China Economic relationship“

 

About the panellists 

Mr Andrew Robb

Mr Robb has qualifications in Agricultural Science and a first class Honours Degree in Economics.

In the 70s Mr Robb worked as an animal health officer and then an agricultural economist. In the 80s he was Executive Director of the Cattle Council of Australia, and later, Executive Director of the National Farmers' Federation.

From 1990 to 1997 Mr Robb was the Federal Director and Campaign Director of the Liberal Party. The highlight of that time was directing the successful 1996 federal election campaign.

From 1997 to 2004 Mr Robb worked for Mr Kerry and James Packer (leading the digital TV negotiations for Channel 9 in 1997/98), as well as advising major companies around Australia and overseas. During this time he also built an Australia-wide direct marketing technology company, was on the investment team for the Gorgan Gas Project, and was a Board Member of Sinclair Knight Merz, Australia’s largest consulting engineering company.

Mr Robb has also been a Board Member of the Garvan Medical Research Foundation, the Menzies Research Centre, the Big Brother Big Sister mentoring organisation, a member of the YWCA Leadership group and was honorary Treasurer of the Liberal Party in NSW. He also served as Chairman of the Australian Direct Marketing Association.

In 2003 Mr Robb was awarded the Office of the Order of Australia for his service to agriculture, politics and the community.

Mr Robb was elected to the Federal seat of Goldstein in October 2004, holding positions as Chairman of the Government’s Workplace Relations Taskforce, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and then Minister for Vocational and Further Education. In Opposition, he held positions as Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Climate Change, Chairman of the Coalition Policy Development Committee and Shadow Minister for Finance, Deregulation and Debt Reduction.

Following the Coalition victory at the 2013 election, Mr Andrew Robb was appointed to the Cabinet as Minister for Trade and Investment.

In this role Mr Robb negotiated Free Trade Agreements with South Korea, Japan and China, as well as the 12 country Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Singapore. Additionally he conducted 85 investment roundtables with 28 countries.

Mr Robb lives in Brighton with his wife Maureen, and has three adult children Tom, Joe and Pip. Andrew is the author of “Black Dog Daze: Public Life, Private Demons” (Melbourne University Publishing).

Ms Jan Adams

Ms Adams is Australia’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China and took up her appointment in February 2016.

Ms Adams is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.  She was appointed Deputy Secretary in April 2013 with responsibility for trade and economic issues.  In this role she was chief negotiator overseeing conclusion of Free Trade Agreements with China, Korea and Japan.  Previously, Ms Adams was First Assistant Secretary, Free Trade Agreement Division.

Ms Adams served as Ambassador for the Environment and Ambassador for Climate Change between 2005 and 2008, and as Minister Counsellor (Trade) in Washington from 2000 to 2004.

From 1993 to 1996, Ms Adams worked as an Adviser to the Minister for Trade and Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Senator Peter Cook. She also previously worked in the OECD Environment and Trade Directorates in Paris.

Ms Adams joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 1999 as Assistant Secretary, APEC Branch.

Ms Adams was awarded the Public Service Medal (PSM) in 2007 for outstanding public service in pursuing Australia's international objectives on trade and the environment.  In 2016 she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished service to international relations through the advancement of Australia's diplomatic and free trade relationships, particularly with the United States of America, South Korea, Japan and China.

Raised in Wodonga, Victoria, she holds Bachelor of Economics (Hons) and Bachelor of Law (Hons) degrees from Monash University, and is married with one child.

Madam Zhao Hong

Dr. Zhao Hong received her Bachelor of Law, Master of Law and Ph. D in Law from Peking University. She enjoyed a distinguished career of outstanding public service and academic achievements.

With rich experiences in legal, economic and trade fields, Dr. Zhao is best known for her expertise in intellectual property rights, trade, investment, competition policy, dispute settlement and the WTO law.

Dr. Zhao served as the Chairperson of the WTO TRIMS Committee and has been on the Indicative List of the WTO Dispute Settlement Panelists. Frequently invited to address international seminars and workshops as the keynote speaker, she shares insights on trade, investment and dispute settlement with the audience.

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