Rio Tinto China’s managing director, Ian Bauert, has called for the development of a mature and open relationship between China and Australia, urging that all traces of xenophobia be removed from the mining and resources sector.

 

Mr Bauert has warned that traditional xenophobic attitudes will be a severe hindrance to further investment from China and that complacency in the relationship will not be tolerated.

 

In a keynote speech delivered at the Australian National University, Mr Bauert warned that international competitiveness in the market ensured that complacency would push China away from the Australian market.

 

“The opportunities are there in China’s rise and Australia is well placed to grasp them. However, if we succumb to complacency there are plenty of other countries that would happily take out place. ‘She’ll be right, mate’ doesn’t work in a competitive context,” Mr Bauert said.

 

Mr Bauert continued to say that there is “no room for populist fears or xenophobic attitudes” in dealing with China.

 

The speech delivered by Mr Bauert comes as Chinese diplomats have called for a deepening of the $100 billion bilateral trade relationship, while criticizing the lack of transparency in foreign investment laws in Australia.