Australian trade minister claims Britain has great chance of trading across Asia
BRITAIN has a "tremendous opportunity" for trade across Asia after quitting the EU, the Australian trade minister declared yesterday.
During a visit to London, Steven Ciobo said his country was "keen" to agree a free-trade deal with the UK.
"These are exciting times," he said in a newspaper interview yesterday ahead of talks with Tory International Trade Secretary Liam Fox.
There's a tremendous opportunity around the world as the world gets smaller as a result of the digital economy and free-flowing capital and labour
"There's a tremendous opportunity around the world as the world gets smaller as a result of the digital economy and free-flowing capital and labour.
"Each of these elements presents challenges and also opportunities.
G20 summit: Australia offers hope to UK post Brexit
"Australia embraces these opportunities and clearly the UK wants to as well."
In a speech at Asia House in London last night, Mr Ciobo said Australia was a perfect launch pad for UK firms seeking to expand to new markets in Asia.
Mr Ciobo said Australia was keen for a new free trade deal once Britain could disentangle itself from the EU.
He said: “We are pragmatic, we have experience in efficiently completing comprehensive free trade agreements with developed economies, and our trade and investment relations with the UK are significant.
“But the fact is, an Australia-UK negotiation of a free trade agreement may be a few years off.”
“Your processes to disengage with the EU will take years — years of potential liberalisation we can’t afford to let slip. None of our competitors will.
“So we’re working on an Australia-EU FTA, which will prepare the way for our own agreement in years to come.”