Premier heads to Far East to promote West
You can purchase access to this special report or subscribe to Business News.
Subscribe to Business News.
WA Premier Alan Carpenter departs Perth today on an 11 day trade mission to Japan and Korea, aiming to develop existing relationships in resources trade, as well as highlight potential of new trade opportunities.
These include fields such as education, biotechnology, tourism and manufacturing.
The neighbours are Western Australia's first and third largest trading partners respectively, with WA exports to Japan equalling $8.56 billion in 2004-2005, and $3.21 billion to Korea in the same period.
The full statement appears below:
Premier and State Development Minister Alan Carpenter will meet key players in Western Australia's most valuable exporting countries when he departs on an 11-day trade and investment mission this morning.
Mr Carpenter will spend the most time in Japan, WA's largest trading partner, before returning to Perth on July 7.
"Japan is a remarkably important country to WA, as a long-term trading partner and friend," the Premier said.
"I am looking forward to strengthening our ties with key clients in Japan and will encourage them to broaden their understanding of WA's diverse capabilities and introduce them to the food, wine and culture our State can offer."
Trade with Japan totalled $10.1billion in 2004-05 with WA exports equalling $8.56billion.
Petroleum, iron ore and other minerals are the major exports to Japan, making up
99 per cent of this trade in 2004-05.
Iron ore and concentrates alone contributed $2.66billion of the WA to Japan export trade.
Mr Carpenter will finish the overseas trade mission in Korea, the State's third largest export market.
Exports to Korea in 2004-05 contributed $3.21billion to the WA economy. Oil is the State's biggest export product to Korea, worth more than $1billion a year.
The Premier said he would promote diversity in WA's trade markets with these countries.
"WA has formed significant partnerships with these countries, particularly in the resources sector," he said.
"The mission will look to increase our resources relationships with these key markets and also create an awareness of the potential to work together in other industries such as education, biotechnology, tourism and manufacturing."