Fax from PRIME MINISTER
29 March 1997 ThANSCR1PT OF THE PRIME MINISTER
THE HO0N. JOHN HOWARD MP
SPEECH AT THE'OPENING OF THlE ANSETT AUS TRALIA
SHANGHAI OFFICE, SHANGHAI, CHINA
E & OE
Thank you very much. To Mr Ken Cowley, the Chairman of Ansett International, to
Mr Liu, the Minister for Metallurgical Industry, MrJao, the Vice Mayor of Shaaghai.
to M~ r Rick Smith, the Australian Ambassador, to Mr Rigby, the Consul General, to
His Excellency, the Ambassador of China in Canberra, other distinguished guests,
ladies and gentlemen.
I am particularly Pleased to be hern today because the opening of this Ansett office in
Shanghai is the latest demonstration of the dramitic growth in the air-travel between
Australia and China. Since new and expanded air servicc arrangements Were signed
in march last year, the number of airlines flying between our countries has gone from
two to four, the number of weekly servikes has risen from two to. seven, and there has
been an average growth of 30% annually in the air traffic between Australia and China
over that three year period.
Can I say to our Chinese guests today two things about Ansett. Ansett has been a
grea Australian company for a long period of time and over the last 50 years four of
the best known business figures that Autlia has produced in that time have been
associated with the company begininingwith Reg Ansett and Peter Abeles and Rupert
Murdoch and our host today, Ken Cowley, so it is a company that has grea ' t Australian
credentials and it is a company that comes to Cbina with an impeccable business
background.
And can I say on a personal note that un~ til I became prime Minister just over a year
ago and acquired as it were an airline of my own, I was a f6ithful traveler on Ansett as
-the airline of my domestic chno for something like 22 years and I can tell our
Chinese guests that in all of that tr-avel and in one year I think I was die third roost
regular flyer on Ansett, they never lost mny baggage once. Faoxm2 9/ 03/ 97 19: 31 Pg: 1
Fax from The dramatic growth in ai travel between Austialia and China is just another element
in a deepening economic and trade association but even more importantly, it
underlines the growing people to people links bewveen our two countries. Over
000 Chinese visitors went to Australia last year -and I have every confidence
particularly in the lead up to the Olympic Games in Sydney in the year 2000 which
will be an absolute magnet for people all around the world and not least from people
in Chiaa that -that number will grow and be dramatically exceeded when the Olympic
Gaines take place.
I want to congratulate Ansett on the care it has taken to -achieve a proper cultural and
linguistic blend within thc services that it is offerihg and will offer, it is, necessary
that that occur and it is a proper recognition of the importance of understanding the
market in which the airlines must compete for business.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the first day of afour day visit to China and I am
particularly pleased that it takes place in Shanghai, the great commercial centre of
China and a great city iii its own right by aay comparison. I am accompanied on this
visit by a delegation of businessmen and women representing, or comprised of some
of the most senior people in business in Australia and J have put together that
delegation to demonstrate to the Chinese Government and to the Chinese people the
importance I attach andmy Goverrnent attaches to -lose co-operiion. between the
Government and the business m'en and women of Australia in building an even better
partnership with the Cin=-se Goveffrnent and the Chinese people.
I last visited shanghai in 1.985. Needless to say, the change that has occurred over that
eleven year period has been quite astonishing and In the short time I have already
been here, the level of development and' idustrialisatioa has made a very big
impression. I want to thank the N ister and the Vice Mayor of ' Shanghai for the gxreat courtesy
that they have extended to me already and the welcome they extended to me last
night, ladies and gentlemen, again may I congratulate Ansett on thi success it has
achieved so far. its commitment to the air traffic between Australia and china and the
very important contribution that the company is making to the building of closer,
relations, both economic and otherwise between Australia and China. Having said
that, I have much pleasure in declaring Ansett's Shah" ba office officially open. I
wish the inaugural flight an the 8th of June the very best of success and may many
people happily and frequently travel on Ansett aircraft between Australia and China.
Thank you. Fa om29/ 03/ 97 19: 31 Pg: 2