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Trilateral forum strengthens WA's ties with North-East Asia
Western Australia has played a major role in a new scientific and educational link between Australia, Japan and China.
Western Australia, through its Sister-State relationships with both countries, helped to develop an inaugural Japan-Australia-China Forum on Health Science and Bio-engineering.
The aim of the forum was to foster trilateral collaboration between each nation to bring medical benefits, scientific research, education and commercial opportunities to all three parties.
The forum marked the first time such trilateral education and scientific links have been established between Western Australia, Japan and China.
The three day forum hosted by Kobe University was a collaborative effort between the State Government’s Japan offices, and the University of Western Australia.
Attendees at the forum heard presentations by senior academic staff from the University of Western Australia, Zhejiang University and Kobe University’s Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation.
The State Government’s Official Representative (North Asia) of the Industry Development Group Craig Peacock said that this trilateral relationship is particularly pioneering in that it is a first for an Australian State and was established without federal aid of any kind. He deemed the initial forum successful in identifying research objectives and research areas of importance to all three parties.
“It has given the relationship a tangible platform that all may hold up as evidence as a positive effect of Sister-State relationships,” Mr Peacock said.
“Often such relationships are questioned for their worth however when such positive outcomes are achieved, it is difficult to deny that these relationships are worth having.
“One of the issues discussed at the forum that is considered of vital importance, is the development of new health science and bioengineering initiatives for the aging population. This is a growing problem for all three countries,” he said.
The Japan–Australia–China forum came to fruition through Western Australia’s Sister-State relationships with Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture and China’s Zhejiang Province.
Western Australia signed a bilateral agreement with China in 2007 following the establishment of the Australia-China Biotherapeutics Centre in Zhejiang Province. The partnership was expanded to include Japan with the Western Australian Global Network Tokyo and Kobe offices taking the lead in realising the three-way collaboration.
The forum attracted top scientists from all three cities, including 11 from the University of Western Australia. Professor Doug McEachern, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation was in attendance as well as Ms Eva Chye, Principal Adviser-International Relations who was responsible for bringing Zhejiang University into the relationship.
Western Australia’s Minister for Industry and Enterprise Francis Logan also attended the forum while visiting Japan for a series of business meetings.
The inaugural Japan–Australia–China Forum on Health Science and Bio-engineering was the first part of a larger initiative with the next forum taking place in Zhejiang Province.
Mr Peacock said he sees the forum continuing for some time to come and believes it will bring tangible benefits to the people of Western Australia, Hyogo and Zhejiang but also to Australia, Japan and China.
“I can see these forums expanding into many other areas; in fact the possibilities are endless,” he said
The signing of the official agreement between Japan, Australia and China, formally establishing the relationship, will take place in Perth in August with Premier Alan Carpenter signing on behalf of Western Australia.
