Economic growth in China translates into opportunities for Australian investors, exporters and consumers, the Parliamentary Secretary for Trade, Justine Elliot, said today.

Speaking to the China-Australia Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, Ms Elliot said "The rise of China offers great opportunities for Australia, opportunities raised by our continuing engagement with Asia."

Ms Elliot said “While engagement with China and the rest of Asia offered challenges, the Australian Government was helping by providing sound economic management and reform at home. It was also pursuing an ambitious trade agenda, and working in support of a successful conclusion to the Doha Round on global trade liberalisation".

Ms Elliot was in Beijing during a four-day visit to China to promote Australian trade and investment. Her visit will also take in the city of Chengdu, in Sichuan province, where she will officially open the Austrade office on Tuesday 15 March.

Ms Elliot said: "New opportunities are emerging as a result of China’s growing emphasis on domestic consumption, increasing concern over the environment and a rising middle class".

While in Beijing, Ms Elliot visited one the world’s premier educational events, the 2011 China International Education Exhibition Tour, which tours several cities in China showcasing the educational institutions of the world.

Education has become Australia’s biggest service export and China our biggest export market for this service," Ms Elliot said.

"I saw first-hand the dynamism of the international education sector and the interest Chinese students have in studying in Australia’s high-quality institutions."

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