Today I announce the establishment of the Australia-China Achievement Awards, an exciting new initiative from the Australia-China Council.
The nation-wide program will reward and celebrate the achievements of Australian organisations and individuals in advancing the Australia-China relationship.
Administered by the Australia-China Council, the awards aim to showcase the creativity and excellence of Australian organisations and people who are building stronger economic, cultural and education connections between Australia and China.
They will also promote new areas of engagement and highlight the leadership of Australian community members in expanding Australia's relationship with China.
A prize of A$5,000 will be presented in each of three categories – Education, Arts and Entrepreneurship.
Nominations are open from 8 September to 6 October. The winners will be selected through a competitive nomination process and announced in November 2014.
The announcement coincides with the visit to Australia of China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi for our annual Foreign and Strategic Dialogue.
Further information about the awards and the nomination process is available at http://www.dfat.gov.au/acc/awards.