by Qi Zijian, Zhang Shuhui, Liu Xiaoyu
SYDNEY, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Australia and China can unlock new opportunities by combining their expertise, technology and investment to develop better products, cultivate new skills and build stronger businesses, said the chair of a peak Australian industry body.
Vaughn Barber, chair of the China-Australia Chamber of Commerce (AustCham China), told Xinhua in a recent interview that the two sides can achieve more by working together, describing this approach as "joint capability."
AustCham China, established in 1994, is the peak industry body representing Australian businesses in China to advance the Australia-China commercial relationship.
EXPLORING NEW OPPORTUNITIES
"China's significance now includes its ability to turn technology into products, manufacture competitively and deploy at scale, as we see in batteries, electric vehicles and clean-energy equipment," said Barber.
Business exchanges have highlighted the scope for closer cooperation between Chinese and Australian companies.
Barber recently led an Australian business delegation to a meeting in Shenzhen, south China, where participating companies discussed electricity, chips, data centers and commercial AI applications.
"What struck me was how the technology, infrastructure and commercial applications were being developed together," he said.
As Australia is trying to lift productivity and make the energy transition affordable, the country should enhance its understanding of China's relevant capabilities, he said.
"So we can assess where it could help solve those problems," added Barber.
Barber cited Australia's Woodside Energy's Scarborough floating production unit (FPU) as "a concrete example." Its hull and topsides were built in China for an Australian energy project.
"It shows how Australian resource development can draw on Chinese industrial capability," he said.
After a 4,000-plus nautical mile journey from China, the Scarborough Energy Project's FPU, involving four shipyards in China, arrived in Australia in January 2026.
The project will bring thousands of job opportunities and significant economic benefits for Western Australia.
CLOSER COOPERATION
"Australia and China are often described as complementary economies," Barber said. "Each has strengths that meet the other's needs."
"We can build on that by combining our expertise, technology and investment to develop better products, new skills and stronger businesses," he said.
Housing is an area where the two countries can translate their complementary strengths into practical cooperation.
In this area, Chinese manufacturing can be combined with Australian design, construction expertise and standards to improve the delivery of housing projects.
CHINESE INVESTMENT IN AUSTRALIA
Barber stressed Chinese investment can help Australia improve productivity, add value to its resources and build industrial capability.
Barber noted that these objectives align with the Australian government's broader manufacturing and economic agenda, describing it as a commercially viable partnership that helps the investor grow while building Australian capability.
Looking ahead, Barber expected the two countries to build on the foundation, broaden the opportunity and build capability together.
"Success means more competitive businesses, quality jobs and lasting benefits for communities in both countries," he said. ■
