JOHN HOWARD ADDRESSES AN AUDIENCE OF CHINESE AND AUSTRALIAN ENTREPRENEURS AT AN ANNUAL BUSINESS AWARDS NIGHT

Former Australian prime minister John Howard has told a Chinese-Australian business audience that the differences between the two nations are a factor in the relationship, but they should not stand in the way of progress between Australia and its biggest trading partner.

Speaking at an awards night for Chinese-Australian businesses and entrepreneurs, he says, “We shouldn’t pretend China and Australia are the same. We’re different in size, we’re different in culture, we’re different in tradition and we are very different in political systems and that is going to remain the case way into the future.”

Mr. Howard, who was prime minister when Australia and China commenced negotiations on the free trade agreement, expressed confidence in the current prime minister’s desire to advance the relationship, citing Scott Morrison’s recent one-on-one meeting with Chinese Premier, Li Keqiang. “I know that he (Prime Minister Morrison) is very committed to continuing to build the relationship between out two societies,” Mr. Howard says.

Before attending the awards last night, at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art, Mr. Howard joined one hundred business leaders at an all-day seminar organised by the Sino International Entrepreneurs Federation (SIEF). A non-profit organisation, incorporated in Switzerland, it holds annual summits in Europe, Africa, Australia and China, attracting high-level participation including that of former British prime minister Gordon Brown and, former French presidents, Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande.  

Despite the strains, a relationship of mutual benefit

Speaking at the event, former Howard government minister, now Chair of the Australia-China Council, Warwick Smith says of Australia’s relationship with China, “It is a relationship that undergoes some strains; but, if you take it over a long period of time, where there is a mutuality of benefit differences can always be solved.”

He added, “You have differences in families, you have differences between countries but ours has been an enduring relationship (and) this is a long relationship.”