Qube MD Paul Digney meets Chinese Premier Li Qiang at Australia-China CEO RoundtableLeader News

Qube Managing Director Paul Digney joined Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and business leaders from 13 other Australian companies to meet Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Perth yesterday (Tuesday, 18 June 2024).

Mr Li was joined by representatives from 14 major Chinese companies in the first Australia-China CEO Roundtable since 2017.

The roundtable discussed ways to enhance cooperation in fields such as energy, decarbonisation, mining, agriculture and services, as well as opportunities to deepen cooperation in innovation and supply chains to jointly address global challenges.

Mr Li spent much of his visit to Western Australia exploring the potential around energy transition technologies, visiting a lithium processing plant in Kwinana in the morning before heading to Fortescue’s research and development facility.

Speaking after the roundtable, Paul said the importance of strong and resilient supply chains in the economic success of both nations was acknowledged during the event.

“As an Australian business, playing a central role in the import and export market for a diverse range of industries, Qube has a front row seat on the critical importance of free and open trade relations between Australia and China,” he said.

“I also appreciated the focus on the potential for Australian and Chinese businesses to collaborate on the challenges associated with decarbonisation.

“The technology and innovation emerging from that market, particularly around electrification of heavy equipment and machinery, is a real area of potential growth and co-operation from Qube’s perspective.”

Paul was joined by BHP Chief Financial Officer Vandita Pant, Fortescue Chairman Andrew Forrest, GrainCorp CEO Robert Spurway, Mark Whelan, Group Executive Institutional at ANZ, Rio Chief Executive for Australia, Kellie Parker, and Cochlear Executive Anthony Bishop. WA Premier Roger Cook and former WA treasurer Ben Wyatt, who is now on the boards of Rio and Woodside, also attended.

_{Photo credit: Ross Swanborough.}