On behalf of the people of Tasmania, I extend a very warm welcome to His Excellency, Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China and Madame Peng Liyuan.
Their arrival marks an historic and exciting day for Tasmania.
Our friendship with China is valued and very important, and this visit will further strengthen our ties.
The President’s visit provides an unparalleled opportunity to promote Tasmania to the world, particularly China where tens of millions of people will keenly follow the President’s visit.
This is invaluable exposure in a country that represents our number one international tourism market, and will no doubt inspire more Chinese travellers to visit our state.
This is also an opportunity to strengthen the economic and cultural ties between Tasmania and China, our state’s largest trading partner and major source of much needed investment in our state.
There is a growing appetite for our major sectors of produce such as dairy, meat and fresh fruit and vegetables, and we’re ready to make the most of the exposure created by the President’s visit.
To capitalise on this the Liberal Government is hosting TasInvest 2014, a conference event to showcase our state’s competitive strengths like agriculture, tourism, resources, international education and Antarctic research. We will also actively promote investment ready opportunities.
The delegates, including more than 100 from China and eight Chinese Fortune 500 companies, will see first-hand what our state has to offer during site tours in all regions of our state.
Building on our successful ties with China is important for the future prosperity for Tasmania, for growing our economy and creating jobs.
I’m confident Tasmanians will join me in making every effort to ensure the President’s visit to our state creates enduring memories and a prosperous future for us all.
• President Xi and Madame Peng are expected to arrive at the Hobart International Airport at 11:00 am, Tuesday November 18.
• They will be welcomed by Premier Will Hodgman and Nicky Hodgman, the Lieutenant Governor the Honourable Justice Alan Blow OAM and Margaret Blow, the Commissioner for Police Darren Hine and students from Waimea Heights and Albeura Street primary schools.
• Two students will present the President and Madame with gifts including peonies and a lavender bear.
• Peonies are an important flower in Chinese history, culture and politics. The deep red peonies that will be presented were grown at Brighton, near Hobart.
• “Bobbie” the lavender bear is from Bridestowe Lavender Estate at Nabowla, in Tasmania’s north-east. About 65,000 Chinese tourists have visited the farm, which has been forced to ration sales due to high demand.
• The President and Madame will travel straight to Government House.
• They will be met by primary school students from Launceston’s Scotch Oakburn College; who the President requested to meet after receiving letters from the students urging him to visit the state.
• The President will be introduced to three baby Tasmanian devils.
• He will also take part in the ceremonial planting of a Magnolia Denudata, an ancient tree native to central and eastern China, to commemorate the visit.
• The President and Madame will be accompanied by an official delegation including Ambassador to Australia Ma Zhaoxu, Chinese Government Ministers and members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
• A small contingent of official Chinese media will travel with the President.
• This is President Xi’s fifth visit to Australia and the first State Visit by a President of the People’s Republic of China since 2007.
Will Hodgman, Premier
