As part of the preparation for this trip, NSW Trade and Investment Commissioner for North and East China, Tony Zhang has been touring the Namoi region, and he visited Walcha last week.

Councillors Wellings, Ferrier, Blomfield, Heazlett, Kermode and Noakes attended a presentation by Mr Zhang in the Council Chambers. 

“The main theme of the presentation was to give an insight into how trade and engagement work with China,” said Mayor Noakes. 

From Council, the group went to visit the Walcha Dairy, a 900 head dairy supplying the Murray Goulburn area with 19,000 litres of milk each day. Mr Zhang then visited New England Fibre Testing who are testing animal fibres from across the world for strength, yield and assisting woolgrowers with flock selection and profitability.

“Tony found both of these businesses to be of great interest,” Mr Noakes said. 

“However due to his tight schedule, there was insufficient time for other visits. A visit to witness a shearing shed in action had to be cancelled for this reason.”

Mr Noakes said the NU delegation to China would be meeting with Mr Zhang’s department while in China. 

“The specifics of Walcha's presentation are still being finalised, but it will centre around agricultural commodities, forestry and tourism,” Mr Noakes said. 

“Some of this will be in conjunction with Uralla. No specific investment ready projects from Walcha are on the list, as there is a necessity to build and foster a relationship with potential partners.”

Earlier in the week, Mr Zhang told Fairfax Media there were opportunities for producers to increase their capacity through Chinese investment using the Walcha Dairy as an example.

“It’s not about buying Australian land or food, it’s about investing more capital to increase the producer’s capacity, and then exporting the extra capacity to China,” he said.

“Chinese importers like to not only buy products but to secure a stable supply for the long term.”