April 1, 2006 – CHINA’S premier Wen Jiabao arrives in Perth tonight for a four day visit likely to focus on supply of resources including uranium sales to meet China’s surging energy needs.
Premier Wen spends tomorrow in Perth, attending a variety of functions and meeting WA Premier Alan Carpenter before travelling to Canberra for talks on Monday with Prime Minister John Howard, ministers and Australian business representatives.
On Tuesday he travels to New South Wales for a meeting with Premier Morris Iemma before departing.
Industry and resources minister Ian Macfarlane will meet Premier Wen in Perth for discussions on resources and the growing export relationship.
Mr Macfarlane said China currently imported significant quantities of Australian oil, iron ore, coal, copper, nickel and aluminium, but there remained much room for growth.
“Australia is one of the world’s leading resource and energy producers. We see many opportunities to increase trade and investment and to share technology with China and we are keen to do business,” he said in a statement.
The key issues remains potential sales of uranium with Mr Howard with an announcement on an agreement for exports seen as likely during the visit.
Mr Howard did caution that China can expect no special treatment.
“There will be no special foreign investment rules in relation to a particular country,” he said this week.
Premier Wen’s visit is being conducted amid tight security, although it’s unlikely he will completely evade protesters.
Tibetan activists and Falun Gong supporters are among the groups which will use the visit to highlight their concerns about China’s position on religious and political freedoms.
Greens Senator Christine Milne said there would be no opportunity at all for her to express concerns about China’s human rights, environmental and proliferation record to Premier Wen.
“I am calling the Prime Minister Howard to talk to Premier Wen about human rights in China, about the suppression of the democracy movement,” she said.
“I am calling on Prime Minister Howard to get a guarantee from Premier Wen that every single facility that Australian yellowcake goes through will be under permanent inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency.”
