The state of South Australia and the city of Shenzhen are unlikely partners.
There is a language barrier, a radically different culture and a population gap of Shenzhen’s approximate 11.9 million to the arid state’s 1.6 million.
But that hasn’t dashed the hopes of Alexandra Reid, the deputy chief executive at the department of state development in South Australia.
On a visit to Shenzhen University, shortly after noon on Tuesday, she sat in front of a Chinese landscape painting and explained her hopes for a budding partnership.
“The ideal collaboration would be researchers forming partnerships over shared area’s of interest,” she said. “From a South Australia perspective (we want to) use that research to produce products.”
Reid mentioned advanced manufacturing, bio-tech and molecular sciences as area’s of potential cooperation.
Australia’s federal budget in 2017 will see AUD100 million set aside to help manufacturers diversify business as car manufacturers leave the country, much of that going to the southern state, according to abc.net.au.
One thousand people in Adelaide, the Australian state’s capital, will lose heir jobs when car manufacturer Holden closes on October 20.
“South Australia is experiencing rapid economic transformation, from a low-value, old-stye of manufacturing to a high-value, high-tech manufacturing,” said Reid, mentioning Adelaide is set to benefit from a program bringing ultra-high speed Internet to certain areas.
Shanghai-based trade commissioner and commercial consul Karen Surmon also attended the press meeting.
“Even when (both sides) speak English, there are culture differences that can have an impact,” said Surmon when asked about potential problems with the two sides working together. “Communication is a challenge. China has a very rich culture that – for instance – can influence how business practices are undertaken.”
Surmon pointed to 10 offices established across China as part of Australia’s efforts to facilitate business.
Reid said that being able to exchange data over the Internet would break down the language barrier.
“It’s a different discussion then if we were sitting with a group of wine merchants,” she said.
A light moment came when Shenzhen University Vice President Wang Hui insisted – repeatedly – that Shenzhen was a better city for makers than Shanghai.
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