Premier Anna Bligh will meet with King Juan Carlos I of Spain tomorrow, reinforcing Queensland’s commitment to increased trade and investment with this key European economy.
"Spain is an important trading partner for Queensland and I am pleased that the King has agreed to meet with me when he visits Sydney on Friday," Ms Bligh said.
"Queensland is leading other Australian States in terms of exports to Spain, making up almost three quarters of Australia’s merchandise exports to this growth export market for our State. Spain is currently the State’s 12th largest export destination, receiving $673 million in goods exports in 2007-08. Just a decade ago, Spain was our 25th largest export destination.
"As part of tomorrow’s meeting, I will offer an open invitation for the King and Queen to visit Queensland and see first hand the products, services, investment and partnership opportunities that we can offer to Spain, its companies and its investors.
Ms Bligh said that a major reason for the King and Queen’s visit to Australia is to open a branch of the Cervantes Institute in Sydney. The Cervantes Institute is a worldwide non-profit organisation created by the Spanish Government in 1991 to promote the study and teaching of Spanish language.
"The University of Queensland is committed to offering Spanish language education in Queensland and is interested in establishing an aula (secondary) Cervantes Institute branch in its School of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies, so I will also be taking the opportunity to discuss this possibility with the King, supporting the University of Queensland," Ms Bligh said.
While in Sydney, the King will also open the Australia-Spain Business Forum where infrastructure across a number of sectors, including energy, will be a key focus. A number of Spanish companies have expressed interest in bidding for major infrastructure projects in Queensland and the Premier will meet with some of these companies while in Sydney.
"There are emerging export, investment and partnership opportunities for Queensland and Spain in a number of sectors including clean technology and renewable energy, where Spain has an established reputation as an international leader," Ms Bligh said.
"The Queensland Government is committed to the establishment of a renewable energy industry in Queensland with particular interest in projects which result in local manufacturing capacity, supply chain development, green jobs and renewable generation.
"Aerospace is an additional sector that presents further trade and investment opportunities for both Queensland and Spain, and I will also be taking the opportunity to discuss some of these opportunities with the King," she said.
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