The following media release was issued by the office of the Australian Trade Minister Mr Simon Crean MP on 25 March 2009:
Visit to the United States and China
The Minister for Trade Simon Crean will today depart for Washington to holds talks with the newly-appointed United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk.
Mr Crean will also visit Beijing to hold discussions with the Commerce Minister Chen Deming on the Australia-China Free Trade Agreement negotiations.
Mr Crean will be one of the first trade ministers to hold talks with Mr Kirk who was confirmed last week in Washington.
“This will be a chance for early contact with the new United States Trade Representative,” Mr Crean said.
“It will be an opportunity to exchange views on key issues such as advancing the Doha Round and regional trade issues such as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).”
The World Trade Organization this week forecast that global export volumes would fall by 9 per cent in 2009.
Mr Crean said conclusion of the Doha Round would provide an important confidence boost for the restoration of global economic growth which would in turn facilitate a resumption of growth in world trade.
Mr Crean will fly from Washington to Beijing on Sunday and will hold meetings with Mr Chen and other senior Chinese officials, including the chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, Mr Liu Mingkang.
The main purpose of the visit to China is to discuss how to advance the Free Trade Agreement negotiations, including consideration of how the FTA can provide a framework for two-way investment. Agriculture market access and services will be a further focus of discussions.
Mr Crean said Australia would be pushing for at least the same access on agriculture that China has provided in other FTAs.
The thirteenth round of negotiations of the Australia-China FTA was completed in December in Beijing.
There have been three rounds held since negotiations were unfrozen by the Rudd Government in April last year.
Media Inquiries: Mr Crean's office 02 6277 7420 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555