The International Date Line
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Prime Minister Julia Gillard has recently announced a "G'Day China" tourism campaign based on the successful "G'Day USA" scheme. Miss Gillard is targeting tourism as a massive way for Australia to benefit from the Asian Century.
The International Date Line (IDL) is an imaginary line of longitude on the Earth’s surface located at about 180 degrees east (or west) of the Greenwich Meridian and gives a great reason for Australia to partner with China. As seen in the map above, the date line keeps us at a similar time of day to China easing work time issues with other countries in business and tourism exchange. Western Australia shows in the image it is directly below Shanghai and Beijing making all major areas 120 degrees East of Greenwich time.
FLOWS TO AND FROM CHINA
With the exception of 1989 to 1991, the number of Australian residents visiting China on a short-term basis, has been greater than the number of Chinese visitors to Australia. In recent times this trend has reversed and now looks set to continue as the Chinese tourist market continues to expand. For the year 2002 there were 190,000 short-term visitor arrivals from China, an increase of 20% on 2001 (158,000), compared to 136,900 short-term resident departures from Australia, an increase of 25% on 2001 (109,300).
SHORT-TERM RESIDENT DEPARTURES TO CHINA
Short-term resident departures from Australia to China have increased from 8,110 persons in 1982 to 136,900 persons in 2002. This represented an average increase of 14% per year in short-term resident departures to China since 1982.
The main reason for short-term departures of Australian residents to China in 2002 were for work (36%), followed by holiday (28%), visiting friends/relatives (26%) and education (2%).
Miss Gillard and the Government have China are pleased with the latest relationship building. China's recognition of the relationship with Australia as a strategic partnership reflects the rapidly growing two-way trade, which is running at nearly $130 billion a year, as well as the leadership roles being played globally and regionally by both countries.
Key interests and benefits
- The removal or reduction of the tariff and non-tariff barriers affecting bilateral trade in goods, which could, in particular, reduce transaction costs and improve efficiency.
- Reduction or removal of regulatory barriers which restrict services in order to support improved trade flows across goods and services of interest to both economies.
- Implementation of measures to encourage more foreign investment between Australia and China, providing a firm foundation for the future economic relationship.
- The International date line only adds to the benefits in all areas of trade
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