Through the common efforts of relevant departments of China and Australia, the Memorandum of Understanding between the two sides on co-hosting the 7th CISMEF was signed on the morning of 27 October, 2009, by Mr. Xu Shangwu, Vice Executive Chairman of the CISMEF Organizing Committee, also Secretary-general of the People¡¯s Government of Guangdong Province, and Mr. Steve Rank, State Manager of NSW & ACT, Australian Trade Commission (Austrade). Mr. Huang Huahua, Chairman of the CISMEF Organizing Committee and Governor of Guangdong Province, Mr. Peter O¡¯Byrne, CEO of Austrade, and other government officials from Guangdong and Australia attended the signing ceremony.

Huang Huahua and Peter O¡¯Byrne had a talk before the signing ceremony. Both sides exchanged views on issues such as the co-hosting of CISMEF 2010 and the cooperation between Guangdong and Australia.

The visit of Guangdong delegation, headed by Huang Huahua, will serve as a boost to friendly cooperation and exchanges between Guangdong and Australia. The signing of the MoU on co-hosting CISMEF 2010 is one of the most important outcomes of the visit.

Australia is the first country in the southern hemisphere, where it is the most powerful economy, to co-host CISMEF with China. The co-hosting will provide an excellent opportunity to promote the cooperation and exchanges on SMEs between the two sides.