Two years ago on Christmas morning, Warwick Ashby, the Manager of ABS Australia, an animal breeding company based in Albury answered a knock at his door to find the Vice Mayor and a delegation of five visitors from Nanping, a city situated in the province of Sichuan, Northern China.
“They really wanted to see Albury,” Warwick Ashby said. “I took them to see the animal sanctuary and they loved it. There is so much here to experience; the wetlands, golfing, the river. I was determined to tattoo a lasting image of Albury on these visitors while they were my guests.”
The ‘tattoo’ must have worked because recently the agreement to form a sister city with Albury and Nanping was accepted. Although at present the SARS epidemic has wiped a joint signing from the immediate calendar, Warwick Ashby and AlburyCity Council are well aware that the Sister City link will attract more business, educational and cultural opportunities and travel between China and NSW.
Five years ago, Warwick Ashby regrouped a failing business venture and developed a business arrangement in Asia that led him to work in India and then in China.
Part of ABS Australia manages the technology that provides a range of products associated with animal breeding for the dairy industry. China recently decided to introduce a greater emphasis on dairy foods among its population. School children are now provided with 225 ml of cow’s milk every day.
“This decision lead to a meteoric rise in the demand for dairy cattle and dairy products in China,” Warwick said.
While already committed to working on the development of a business arrangement with AusTrade and the local Consulates in Asia, Warwick Ashby brought his plans to AlburyCity and, after some initial consideration, Albury welcomed his presentation. Clearly these kinds of links between Council and businesses are vital to the development of larger connections.
Although ABS Australia was already trading into Asia the communication with Council and the City’s links to organisations such as AusTrade are positive.
Increasingly Chinese travellers are interested in Australian potential for business, our history, culture and creativity, the prospect of being able to take guests around the Cultural Precinct as part of the Sister City agreement can only forge stronger interest and friendship between the two cities and both countries.
