In November, Tourism Australia has signed a deal worth close to A$9 million over the next three years with major China international carrier, China Eastern Airlines.

Western Union has announced a partnership with ChinaPay, the online and mobile payments subsidiary of China’s UnionPay, allowing universities and higher education institutions around the world to accept international tuition and student fees in the Chinese Renminbi.

Melbourne-based International sustainable resins and products supplier, Cardia Bioplastics, has secured an exclusive annual supply contract of its renewable Biohybrid kitchen bags to the City District of Shanghai, Pudong, in China.

In December, Australian and Chinese government ministers signed a new higher education and research agreement which will see six new joint research centres opened across Australia.

In December, Chinese visitor arrivals to Australia overtook arrival visitor numbers from the UK for the first time, making China, Australia's second largest source of tourists.