Australia-China
Belt & Road Initiative

Over the course of the last few years, Jean has had significant involvement in working with the Australian Governments to continue to strengthen Australia’s bi-lateral economic relationship with China. Jean worked closely with the Tasmanian Government and Chinese Government, initiating and leading the negotiation of the Memorandum of Understanding Modern Agriculture (Fruit Industry) System between the State of Tasmania and the Shaanxi Provincial People’s Government.

With the passion to further strengthen the bi-lateral relationship between China and Australia, Jean established a not for profit organisation-the Australia-China Belt & Road Initiative in 2015. This organization will engage pioneering business leaders from China and Australia with a purpose of articulating the relevance of the Belt & Road strategy to Australian industries and identifying practical opportunities for expanded trade and investment.

Peter is a Director of the Australia-China Belt and Road Initiative. Previously, Peter worked as a strategic communications consultant in the multinational NGO & charity sector, including with a partner organisation of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and World Health Organisation (WHO).

Peter has a Bachelor of Science from the Australian National University and a strong background in science communication with experience across a range of fields, including: genetic data infrastructure, synthetic biology and global catastrophic risk.

Peter has represented Australia as an expert on science in the media at APEC, was a panelist on the ethics of genetic data sharing at the Global Ideas Forum and has been published by Penguin.

In Peter's spare time he has mentored the University of Melbourne's International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) team and participated in several startups, including filing his own provisional patent for a vending machine protection system.

Peter is excited to bring his experience and enthusiasm to ACBRI's challenge of enabling Australia to capture value through China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Xu Wang is a visiting research fellow at the Perth USAsia Centre. He joined the centre in December 2015 and will stay here until November 2016. The purpose of his visit is to collaborate with Gordon Flake on the research projected titled “The MIKTA grouping in international relations”. He will research the potential cooperation between the MIKTA countries and China with the development of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Xu completed his doctorate degree at Institute of World Economy and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. During his PhD study, he has worked in Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China for four months to research the relationships between exchange rates volatility and international trade. He has also worked for the Comparative Studies magazine as a part-time translator. After graduation, he joined Shandong Technology and Business University, Yantai, P.R. China.

Mr Robb has qualifications in Agricultural Science and a first class Honours Degree in Economics.

In the 70s Mr Robb worked as an animal health officer and then as agricultural economist. In the 80s he was Executive Director of the Cattle Council of Australia, and later, Executive Director of the National Farmers’ Federation.

From 1990 to 1997 Mr Robb was the Federal Director and Campaign Director of the Liberal Party. The highlight of that time was directing the successful 1996 federal election campaign.

From 1997 to 2004 Mr Robb worked for Mr Kerry and James Packer (leading the digital TV negotiations for Channel 9 in 1997/98), as well as advising major companies around Australia and overseas. During this time he also built an Australia-wide direct marketing technology company, was on the investment team for the Gorgan Gas Project, and was a Board Member of Sinclair Knight Merz, Australia’s largest consulting engineering company. Mr Robb has also been a Board Member of the Garvan Medical Research Foundation, the Menzies Research Centre, the Big Brother Big Sister mentoring organisation, a member of the YWCA Leadership group and was honorary Treasurer of the Liberal Party in NSW. He also served as Chairman of the Australian Direct Marketing Association.

In 2003 Mr Robb was awarded the Office of the Order of Australia for his service to agriculture, politics and the community.

Mr Robb was elected to the Federal seat of Goldstein in October 2004, holding positions as Chairman of the Government’s Workplace Relations Taskforce, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and then Minister for Vocational and Further Education. In Opposition, he held positions as Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Climate Change, Chairman of the Coalition Policy Development Committee and Shadow Minister for Finance, Deregulation and Debt Reduction.

Following the Coalition victory at the 2013 election, Mr Andrew Robb was appointed to the Cabinet as Minister for Trade and Investment.

In this role Mr Robb negotiated Free Trade Agreements with South Korea, Japan and China, as well as the 12 country Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Singapore. Additionally he conducted 85 investment roundtables with 28 countries.

Mr Robb lives in Brighton with his wife Maureen, and has three adult children Tom, Joe and Pip. Andrew is the author of “Black Dog Daze: Public Life, Private Demons” (Melbourne University Publishing).

Malcolm is a professional Non-Executive Director. His Directorships include BHP Billiton Limited and Plc, Asciano Limited (where he is also Chairman) and Orica Limited (Chairman). His not-for-profit Boards include Opportunity International Australia, Kilfinan Australia and Walter & Eliza Hall Institute.

Malcolm was formerly Managing Director and CEO of Orica Limited from 2001 until September 2005. Prior to Orica, Malcolm was Managing Director and CEO of the global diversified resources company North Limited. He has had extensive experience in the resources industry, as well as in finance, investment and construction activities. He has worked in management positions with Halcrow (UK), MIM Holdings, Peko Wallsend and Industrial Equity.

Malcolm holds degrees in Civil Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Queensland.

His interests are family, walking, skiing and involvement with various charity groups. He has four children and lives in Melbourne.

Former Non-executive director of AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd (AXA APH) – ASX 50 listed Life Insurance, Wealth Management & Retirement Incomes group

Dr. Shuaihua Wallace CHENG is Founder and Managing Director of ICTSD China, Member of ICTSD Operation, Programme and Strategy Board. Currently, he co-manages WTO Post-Bali Programme and China, G20 and Global Economic Governance, New Industrial Policy Group, the E15 Initiative in partnership with the World Economic Forum. Before joining ICTSD, Dr. Cheng was an economist at the Shanghai Municipal Government Development Research Centre and Board Secretary of Shanghai WTO Affairs Consultation Center.

Dr Cheng is Yale World Fellow (2015), Asia 21 Young Leader (2006), British Chevening Scholar (2005), Salzburg Seminar Fellow (2000). He has written widely on issues related to trade, environment, development and the role of emerging countries in global economic governance for both policy and academic audiences.

Dr. Cheng has MSc in Comparative Public Policy at the University of Oxford, and PhD in International Political Economy at Fudan University. He is a citizen of China.

David Olsson is a lawyer and consultant to global law firm King & Wood Mallesons. He was senior partner in Beijing (2008 – 2013) and prior to that Australian Managing Partner (2004- 2007).

He has over 30 years’ experience in the legal industry as a specialist in the areas of cross-border investments and corporate finance. He has a particular interest in the development of China’s financial markets and cross-border capital flows. He chairs an Australian government sponsored and private sector led initiative that is promoting the use of Renminbi for trade, finance and investment in Australia, and leads a NSW government committee supporting Sydney’s position as the leading offshore RMB centre in Asia Pacific region.

He is a former Chairman of the China-Australia Chamber of Commerce, Beijing (2010 – 2013), a member of the executive committee of Australia China Business Council (Victoria), and on the advisory board of policy think-tank China Matters. He was appointed a member of the Australia China Council in January 2013.

Dr Liu Jian Xing is the Director of International Cooperation Center, National Development and Reform Commission. Dr Liu obtained a PHD in Economics from Peking University. Dr Liu is also one of the key founder and organiser of China National Reform New Mogan Hill Conference. The purpose of this conference is focused on discussing China’s major reform issues and implementing difficulties for the economic system reform, which provides intellectual support to the China’s economic reform and economic system transformation. The collective opinions from this conference are reported to the national central leadership and serve a guide for economic policy development and implementation.

Professor Wei’an Li is President and Chancellor of Tianjin University of Finance and Economics. Meanwhile, he also works for Degrees Committee of the State Council as a reviewer of Business Administration Discipline and China Enterprise Management Association as Executive vice President, and National MBA Teaching and Guidance Committee as a member. Professor Li holds PhDs in both Management and Economics from Keio University and from Nankai University in conjunction with Hitotsubashi University. His research is mainly focused on corporate governance with specifics on transformation of corporate strategy and governance. His work appears in major Chinese journals such as Management World, Japanese journals such as Mita Business Review, U.S. journals such as Frontiers of Business Research, and European journals such as International on Management Science & Engineering. Professor Li is also in charge of several National Funding Projects, Ministries Funding Projects, and Enterprise Application Projects.

Mark Allison was appointed as MD and CEO of Elders Limited in April 2014 and prior to that held the positions of Executive Chairman from November 2013 and Chairman from June 2013.

Having come from a sugar cane and beef cattle family in far north Queensland, he has a great passion for agribusiness.

After completing an Agriculture Science Degree at the University of Queensland, he then went on to establish a 30-year career in the industry, starting as a research agronomist in the Darling Downs/Lockyer Valley horticultural region and in cotton and broadacre cropping in North Western NSW, before running a suite of agribusinesses, serving as Managing Director of CropCare Australasia, Wesfarmers CSBP, Wesfarmers Landmark, Farmoz, Incitec and Grain Growers Limited.

He has also held numerous non-executive director roles in private, government and industry organisations including the Grains and Legume Nutrition Council, as Chairman of Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority, CropLife Pty Ltd and Agsafe Pty Ltd. He is currently Chairman of Agribusiness Australia.

Professor Wei’an Li is President and Chancellor of Tianjin University of Finance and Economics. Meanwhile, he also works for Degrees Committee of the State Council as a reviewer of Business Administration Discipline and China Enterprise Management Association as Executive vice President, and National MBA Teaching and Guidance Committee as a member. Professor Li holds PhDs in both Management and Economics from Keio University and from Nankai University in conjunction with Hitotsubashi University. His research is mainly focused on corporate governance with specifics on transformation of corporate strategy and governance. His work appears in major Chinese journals such as Management World, Japanese journals such as Mita Business Review, U.S. journals such as Frontiers of Business Research, and European journals such as International on Management Science & Engineering. Professor Li is also in charge of several National Funding Projects, Ministries Funding Projects, and Enterprise Application Projects.

Former Federal Minister for Finance and Deregulation (2007-2010), Lindsay Tanner is widely regarded as one of the Government's strongest economic thinkers and highly respected by industry leaders and economic analysts.

Lindsay Tanner’s vast sectoral knowledge includes transport, communications, infrastructure, finance, manufacturing, health insurance, government/bureaucracy. His diverse subject knowledge covers the areas of economics, environmental issues, social relationships, media (books published on all these) and international politics.

As well as a successful political career Lindsay Tanner has written extensively on economic and political issues, including six published books. He is the inaugural Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow at Victoria University and is an Adjunct Professor at the University.

Lindsay Tanner is an accomplished speaker who was renowned for his parliamentary performances. He has a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Law degree from Melbourne University, and is fluent in the Greek language.