The Northern Territory Government held a three day program in Alice Springs for 60 VIP delegates, including senior Chinese Business & Investment managers attending the Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar (AGES).
The event showcased the opportunities for Chinese investment in Territory mineral exploration projects. It also provided an opportunity for Chinese investors to meet with local exploration experts.
Full outback experience
The program included a tour of Alice Springs, an informal dinner on a private cattle station, an official welcome dinner, seminar sessions, one-on-one meetings and field trips undertaken to several joint-venture mine sites located south of Alice Springs.
The cattle station experience was a big hit with guests, the station having previously been the location for an iconic Australian movie set. The film set remains and it was in the classic re-created “Aussie Pub” setting that pre-dinner drinks and dinner were served. In a delightful interactive session prior to dinner, some more unusual “Territorians” were introduced to guests, including a blue-tongue lizard, a bearded dragon, a snake, a thorny devil and a sleepy lizard, courtesy of The Alice Springs Reptile Centre.
Dinner was served outdoors and included a “Skytalk”, guiding delegates through the spectacular star filled night sky. The dinner menu was an East meets West combination and included Territory dishes with a Chinese influence.
Linguistic challenges
With very significant investment projects being discussed, it was critical that all foreign participants understood all aspects of the seminar and associated meetings. Locally-based interpreters were provided for the duration to ensure there were no communication issues. Smooth and seamless processing of all visa and immigration requirements was also a requirement.
What they say
“The Territory is the best place to go for people who want to explore beyond the cities, as it gives you the opportunity to get close to the flora and fauna. A commonality exists between the Chinese and Indigenous people, as both have long histories and ancient cultures.”
Li Bin - Director, Mineral Resources Department
TBEA Shenyang Transformer Group Co., Ltd
“I believe this place is very special and the rock is the centre of the world. Experiences had in cities can be the same, but if you want something different, come to Central Australia. The dinner under the stars was fantastic.”
Peter Zhang
China Development Bank