China News Service, Melbourne, September 12 (Reporter Bo Wenwen) From September 10th to 12th, the 2026 Australia-China Expo and China Consumer Goods (Australia) Brand Exhibition was held in Melbourne, Australia. The products and technologies brought by more than 300 Chinese and Australian enterprises and institutions demonstrated new opportunities for economic and trade cooperation between the two countries in the fields of technological innovation, green energy and smart life.
"In the past, China was regarded as the 'world's factory', and Australia-China economic and trade relations mainly revolved around China's manufacturing industry and Australian agriculture, resources and other fields." Andrew Robb, chairman of the Australia-China Expo Organizing Committee and former Australian Minister of Trade and Investment, said that now China is at the forefront of the world in many high-tech and innovative fields, and Australia hopes to apply more of China's innovations.
"Australia has a vast land and sparse population, high labor costs, and has great potential for robot application." Gary Sun, general manager of the Australian business of AGIBOT, a Chinese embodied intelligence company, said that the company has entered the Australian market for less than a year and is currently focusing on scenarios such as education and scientific research, commercial cleaning and security inspections, and is exploring ways to lower the threshold for use through leasing to promote the commercial application of robots locally.
Gary said that companies promote local operations in Australia, value local experience, technology and talent capabilities, and hope to learn from each other and explore joint innovation with local partners to transform technology into practical and effective productivity.
The changes brought about by innovation are also hidden in daily life. Chinese exhibitor Jessie has been selling Joyoung and other Chinese small household appliances in Australia for eight years. She introduced that after the first-generation product entered the local market, the team sent consumer feedback back to the Chinese factory to promote product improvement. For example, the wall-breaking machine has added oat milk, almond milk and other cold drink menus adapted to local eating habits, and the automatic cleaning function also makes it more convenient to use.
Considering that local labor costs are high, she also introduced desktop water purifiers that can be used without professional installation, adding water and electricity. "China's home appliance technology is very advanced. We hope to bring these products to Australia so that local consumers can enjoy the same convenience." Jie Qian said.
Green transformation opens up another space for China-Australia cooperation. Tony, a staff member of Aus Solar Energy Group, an Australian photovoltaic and energy storage system retail installation service provider, said that the technological and manufacturing advantages of China's photovoltaic and energy storage products complement Australia's policy support for green transformation, creating opportunities for new energy cooperation between the two parties.
The company installs solar panels, energy storage batteries, air-energy water heaters and other products from China into Australian households. Tony said that the photovoltaic energy storage system can store excess electricity generated during the day for use at night, helping local families reduce their electricity bills.
Anh Nguyen, who is engaged in shipping and international trade consulting in Melbourne, made a special trip to look for cooperation opportunities. He hopes to understand the products and development plans of Chinese companies in Australia and help companies from both sides establish contacts. "Australia and China have established close cooperative relations in many industries. We hope that the two countries will continue to deepen economic and trade cooperation and achieve common development."
