Pilbara, Kimberley produce shines in Chinese dinner

When it comes to wooing Chinese investors, Pilbara and Kimberley officials have learnt to trust in the age old adage, the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach.

The local government councillors and staff watched on as the Pilbara’s Pardoo Beef Corporation chairman Bruce Cheung last week held a spectacular dinner to wow China’s media and wealthy elite in the city of Shenzhen.

Led by WA Food Ambassador Don Hancey, it featured Chinese and Australian chefs competing in an Iron Chef-stye competition to cook the best dish for the 300 guests using WA meats, seafood and fresh produce.

Singaporean-Chinese businessman Mr Cheung, who purchased Pardoo station last year, aims to rebrand WA produce and Pilbara beef as a premium delicacy in Chinese consumer eyes.

And his dinner proved a good first step, according to guest, Dai Yong Xuan, a property developer who earlier pointed out Shenzhen skyscrapers his company had built.

“I would like it if Western Australia can introduce more high quality food for China ... (having tasted our dinner tonight) that is all of our wishes,” he said, through an interpreter.

As well as making Chinese media headlines, Mr Cheung’s dinner proved an example to attendees of the Pilbara Regional Council’s EASTxWEST Forum, organised on behalf of the Pilbara and Kimberley local governments, of China and Shenzhen’s modern dynamism.

Neighbouring Hong Kong, Shenzhen has mushroomed from a city of less than 100,000 people 40 years ago into a mega-city of more than 10 million today.

Its rapid growth highlights how Chinese investment could also boost North West WA agriculture, tourism, education, aquaculture and renewable energy.

However, Chinese speakers at the EASTxWEST forum also warned the Chinese took a long-term view on creating business ties that valued trust and relationship building.

Forum organiser, PRC chief executive Tony Friday, said this made Mr Cheung’s endorsement of North West WA during his dinner even more valuable.

“The gold medal moment came with Bruce (Cheung) stepping up as chairman of Pardoo Beef,” he said.

“(He was) talking to a room that contained ... enormous ... wealth and saying, ‘I’ve had success in the Pilbara, I’ve had help (from the WA and Pilbara governments) getting established and this is a good place to lodge your capital’.

“You can’t get better value then that (from our EASTxWEST) forum.”

This reporter covered the East x West Forum from Shenzhen. The PRC covered his accommodation and travel expenses from Perth.