This means that Chinese citizens will be able to use ordinary passports and apply for tourist visas when wishing to visit Australia. The decision will enhance the ability of the Australian Tourism Commission to undertake tourism marketing and promotion activities in the Chinese market and will allow full advantage to be taken of expanded air service capacity. The decision is an in-principle one, with the timing of its implementation to be worked out. Currently many Chinese citizens who holiday in Australia travel on business visas or use official passports. According to official Chinese statistics, in 1996 some 5 million Chinese nationals travelled overseas.
China has significant potential for Australia's tourism industry.
The Tourism Forecasting Council expects continued high growth rates, to a forecast target of 139,000 arrivals into Australia from China in the year 2001 and over 300,000 by 2006. On a separate issue, the Chinese Minister of Justice, Xiao Yang, informed me yesterday that the Australian law firm, Hunt and Hunt, had been successful in its application for a licence to open an office in China. This is the fourth Australian law firm to gain such a licence. Vice Premier Zhu Rongji announced in May during his visit to Australia that a legal licence would be issued to Blake Dawson Waldron. Malleson Stephen Jacques and Allens Arthur Robinson have had licences for some time.