More than $330 million in commercial agreements between NSW businesses and businesses from Guangdong Province were secured last week during the 30th NSW-Guangdong Joint Economic Meeting (JEM) in Guangzhou, strengthening NSW's economic ties with China's largest provincial economy.
Led by NSW Minister for Industry and Trade Anoulack Chanthivong, the trade mission focused on Health and Life Sciences, Trade, including food and beverage manufacturing and Net Zero and the Energy Transition.
Leading these outcomes was the announcement of a research collaboration between the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Genesis Australia, aimed at driving innovation in sustainable agriculture through the development of microalgae-based organic fertilizers.
NSW based global hearing solutions leader Cochlear also secured a substantial long-term export pipeline into the Greater Bay Area, showcasing its latest cochlear implant technologies and reinforcing NSW's reputation for advanced medical ingenuity. This is a direct result of the 2023 JEM, held in Sydney, which led to a nation-first agreement for Cochlear to supply medical devices across Guangdong's Greater Bay Area hospitals.
Other key outcomes include:
- Memorandum of Understanding between Guangdong's National New Energy Storage Innovation Center and Australia's Smart Energy Council, paving the way for collaboration on battery technology R&D, industrial supply chain integration and market opportunity exploration.
- Highstar Sodium Battery secured a $130 million supply contract with Highflow Energy to deliver 1GWh of sodium-ion products into the Australian market over three years.
- Probev International established a $10 million long-term partnership with AusTiger to leverage its domestic sports event platform to introduce more high-quality Australian sports nutrition products to the sports community in Guangdong.
- MingMed Biotechnology partnered with Emerald Clinical Trials on a Phase II clinical trial valued at over $4 million.
- Dartsbio and Tigermed Australia signed a multi-million agreement to conduct early-stage clinical trials in NSW.
- Launch of the Greater Bay Area-NSW Innovation Channel to accelerate technology commercialisation and expand two-way flows of capital, talent, and research.
The mission included strategic bilateral and sector-specific meetings, as well as engagements in Hong Kong and Shanghai, expanding opportunities for NSW businesses across Greater China.
It also contributed to the bold vision to grow exports by $100 billion, attract $25 billion in investment, and create 30,000 new jobs by 2035 set out in the NSW Trade and Investment Strategy.
Minister for Industry and Trade Anoulack Chanthivong said:
"This mission has delivered on the objectives of the NSW Trade and Investment Strategy 2035 to create jobs, attract investment, and diversify our trade base.
"NSW is a trading state and China is a major trading partner.
"The outcomes achieved in Guangzhou, Shanghai and Hong Kong demonstrate the strength of our long-standing sister-state relationship with Guangdong and the opportunities that flow from collaboration in net zero, health, technology and agriculture.
"From clean energy innovation, to clinical trials and sustainable farming, these partnerships will deliver tangible benefits for NSW businesses and communities."
Pat Casey, Strategic Sourcing Director, Blackmores:
"The Joint Economic Meeting has provided Blackmores with a unique platform to deepen our collaboration with Sirio Pharma and represents a significant step forward in combining Blackmores' R&D innovation with Sirio's world‑class supply chain capabilities.
"This partnership strengthens our ability to innovate, expand our product portfolio, and meet growing demand in Asia's largest health market."
Frances Cui, Chief Representative, Greater China, Genesis:
"The NSW-Guangdong Joint Economic Meeting-and our 46‑year sister‑state agreement-give partners like us the trusted platform to move faster from lab to paddock.
"Through our collaboration with the Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, we'll scale microalgae‑based organic fertilisers to strengthen sustainable agriculture across NSW and the Greater Bay Area."
Barry Irvin, Executive Chairman, Bega Group:
"The JEM is an invaluable platform for food and beverage businesses like ours. It opens doors to markets and creates opportunities to build strong, long-term relationships with partners across Greater China.
These connections help us showcase the quality of NSW products and position our brand for sustainable growth in one of the world's most dynamic regions."
Bodie Lazar, Managing Director, Probev International:
"Participating in JEM has been a game‑changer for Probev. Our partnership with AusTiger opens the door to Guangdong's dynamic sports nutrition market, enabling us to showcase Australian innovation and quality to millions of new consumers.
"The mission has given us the confidence to pursue ambitious export goals and demonstrated the real value of NSW's sister‑state relationship with Guangdong in driving business success."
NSW Regional Exporter of the Year 2025, Flavourtech CEO and Chairman Leon Skaliotis said:
"Returning to JEM has progressed initial meetings into trusted partnerships for Flavourtech. For a regional manufacturer such as ourselves, it has helped accelerate projects through market access and opened doors across Guangdong and the Greater Bay Area."
