Queensland: ACYA 面条 Meeting: A 'Meet and Eat' ACYA Lunch - May 27 12-2pm

Date: Thursday 27 May | Editing: Dimity Mannering

“If China sneezes, will Australia catch a cold? The answer, I’d say, is that we’d probably get the sniffles.”

This was the crux of a fascinating and illuminating speech delivered by Dr James Laurenceson to an audience of some 60 attendees at the University of Queensland’s end-of-semester luncheon (aka 面条Meeting). Dr Laurenceson was joined at the lunch by a number of representatives from the China Language School, the Business, Economics and Law Faculties as well as young Australian and Chinese students.

Dr Laurenson argued that, while Australia enjoys a prosperous economic relationship with China, the sheer lack of investment links between the countries and the concentration of around 70% of Australia’s merchandise exports to China in Western Australia show that Australia as a whole is not totally reliant on Chinese demand.

Though pointing out these realities, Dr Laurenceson also noted the promise that such gaps in the economic relationship have for young Australians and young Chinese to further diversify trade between the two countries and move beyond a relationship based on iron ore exports.

Dr Laurenceson’s speech was truly eye-opening and exceptionally well received by the audience. The event marked the end of the semester’s activity for a very busy UQ Chapter that is looking to further develop the ACYA brand at the university.