Sister State Relationships

Western Australia was one of the first Australian states to establish a presence in Indonesia, with the opening of an office in Surabaya in 1992.  The office is now located in Jakarta.

This was preceded by the Government of Western Australia and the Province of East Java formally signing a Memorandum of Understanding, establishing a Sister State Relationship in August 1990.

The Memorandum of Understanding, for five-year periods, seeks to provide a framework for the development of long-term commercial and cultural linkages. It aims to facilitate cooperation in:

• economic development, commerce, industry and tourism 
• science, technology and administration 
• education, culture, manpower, social welfare, youth and sports.

The Memorandum provides an umbrella for the Western Australia - East Java Exchange Program that seeks to identify specific projects that can be developed on a collaborative, commercial basis for industry and the service sectors.

In September 2007 the Governor of East Java, Imam Utomo, visited Perth to witness the signing of a five year extension to the Sister State Relationship. 

Cultural exchanges that stem from the Sister State Relationship included high level visits by East Javanese parliamentarians from 2006-2008.  The parliamentarians are provided customised training in subjects including governance and taxation.  Additionally, each year, as part of the Sister State Relationship, the East Java Government provides funding for three to five people to spend a week in Perth.  The candidates selected are students from Islamic schools who have demonstrated leadership qualities, but have not traveled overseas. In 2007, students visited Harvey Agricultural College to observe and participate in classes.

For more information on the Sister State Relationship between Western Australia and East Java contact the Manager, South East Asia.

About East Java

East Java is one of 30 provinces in the Republic of Indonesia. It is headed by a Governor and has 38 sub-provincial regions (known as Kabupatens and Kotas), within its administrative boundaries.

The major sectors of the East Java economy are agriculture, commerce and other services, industry and transportation and communication.

The important agricultural products are rice, sugar, coffee, tobacco, rubber and seafood. Major manufacturing industries are cigarettes, plywood, textiles, refined sugar, fertiliser, steel, paper, wooden furniture and shipbuilding.

East Java produces about 35 per cent of the national food supply mainly including rice and sugar. The province's main export commodities include furniture, handicraft goods, plastic articles, paper, garments, shoes and others.

Major investors registered officially with the East Java Investment Coordinating Board are from the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the United States of America, Netherlands, Taiwan and Malaysia.

East Java has a tropical climate with October to April being the wet season, and May to September being the dry season. The temperature ranges between 20-30 degrees Celsius.

For more information about East Java visit:

East Java Economy

Australian Embassy Indonesia

East Java

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Since its establishment in 1981, the Sister State Relationship between Hyogo Prefecture and the State of Western Australia has established strong goodwill through the implementation of a number of joint cultural and relationship building activities.

The Western Australian Government has maintained an office in Kobe, capital of Hyogo Prefecture since 1989.

To further strengthen the Sister State Relationship, Hyogo and Western Australia have agreed to cooperate in the areas of economic exchange and academic research.

In 1992, the Hyogo Government established the Hyogo Prefectural Government Cultural Centre in Perth to develop cultural exchanges and education programs.

For more information on the Sister State relationship between Western Australia and Hyogo contact the Manager, Japan/South Korea.

About Hyogo

Hyogo is located in the Kansai region, Japan's geographical centre. Over 90% of Hyogo Prefecture's population live in the urban areas of Kobe, Hanshin and Harima. Industries such as steel, shipbuilding and machinery are also located in these areas. The areas of Tajima, Tamba and Awaji are the location for agricultural, forestry and fishing industries.

Southern Hyogo Prefecture was severely devastated by the Great Hanshin Awaji Earthquake in 1995 that destroyed major parts of Kobe, Awaji, Takarazuka and the neighbouring Osaka Prefecture.  Close to 5,500 people lost their lives.

Hyogo is rich in traditional and contemporary culture and natural beauty and is home to a highly modernised society and business market.
In summer the weather throughout Hyogo is hot and humid and during winter the north side experiences continual snow, while the south side receives some snow.

The Hyogo Business and Cultural Centre - Your Gateway to Japan website provides an outline of the prefecture, including geographical location, major industry interests, and Hyogo Prefecture as a market. It also provides useful links to other Hyogo and Japan related resources.

The official Hyogo Prefectural Government website provides a prefectural profile, tourist information and much more in Japanese.

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A Sister State Relationship was established between the State of Western Australia and the Regional Government of Tuscany in 1999.
This agreement forges a unique partnership between the two regions, underpinned by extensive and longstanding historic, cultural and familial ties that connect Western Australia with Tuscany and Italy.

Planning is now underway to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Sister State Relationship in 2009.

Both parties agreed to pursue mutual benefits on a multi-sectoral basis, with a particular focus on opportunities identified in knowledge and education, science and technologies, business and industry compatibilities, and culture and the arts. Areas of interest emerging from the relationship include:

• biotechnology and life sciences 
• culture, arts and crafts 
• education and training 
• energy security and efficiencies 
• fishing and aquaculture research 
• flora and fauna research 
• furniture and furnishings 
• gold and jewellery 
• marine industry development     
• olive and olive oil processing   
• textiles, fashion and wool 
• tourism (cultural, heritage-based and eco-tourism)   
• venture capital market development 
• wine and gourmet foods.

The Department of State Development manages the Sister State Relationship and regular initiatives have included industry missions (olives, furniture, agribusiness and education), cultural exchanges and Parliamentary visits. Tuscany was Guest Nation at the 2004 Royal Agricultural Show in Perth and in 2005 the Department coordinated Western Australia's participation at Florence’s prestigious International Arts Fair.

For more information about the Sister State Relationship please contact the Manager, Europe.

About Tuscany

Tuscany is one of twenty administrative regions of Italy covering 22,990 km², with a population of 3.6 million and has its capital in Florence.

Tuscany’s agricultural reputation is based on wine, olive oil, livestock and gourmet foods. Industry is represented by vehicle and airplane production, luxury vessel design and production, textiles and fashion, jewellery and handcrafts, marble and stone, petrochemicals and steel. Tourism is the economic mainstay of both the "Cities of Art" (Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Siena, San Gimignano) and the Tuscan coast. For more information about Tuscany visit:

Tuscany Regional Government Home Page [in Italian language only]

Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Perth (Inc)

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The Zhejiang Province is Western Australia’s Sister State in China. The relationship was formally established between the two Governments in 1987.

The high level Government to Government relationship provides a platform on which other relationships; trade, business and cultural, have been and continue to be built.

The Sister State Relationship provides an excellent opportunity for the Western Australian Government to promote Western Australia in China and to raise the profile of our State and its industry capabilities.

2007 marked the 20th anniversary of the Western Australian Zhejiang Sister State Relationship. A number of cultural events were organised in Perth to celebrate the occasion and these were officiated by Mr Zhao Hongzhu, Secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.

In the coming years the Western Australian Government will continue to work with the Zhejiang Government to achieve economic and trade outcomes for both regions, with a focus is on:

• media
• tourism
• agriculture and agribusiness
• environmental services
• information technology
• biotechnology
• scientific research
• health care
• sports and recreation
• land administration
• regional development
• work safety.

Several high level trade missions are also scheduled to visit Zhejiang during the Shanghai 2010 World Expo.

For more information on the Sister State Relationship between Western Australia and Zhejiang contact the Manager, China.

About Zhejiang

Zhejiang Province lies south of Shanghai on the southeast coast of China. With a population of approximately 50 million, it is the richest province in China on a per capita basis. Zhejiang has a strong private sector, well known throughout China, but limited natural resources.  Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang, has been listed China’s best city for doing business by Forbes for the last few years.

Zhejiang is known in China as the "Great Market Province". It has the largest number of commercial markets with the largest trading volume in the country.

Zhejiang is one of China’s major manufacturing regions. Zhejiang’s factories are generally considered to be amongst the best in China and this is reflected in the high number of consumer goods manufactured there each year.

Other prominent industries in the Zhejiang include agriculture, tourism, chemical products, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. The Province is renowned for its silk industry, accounting for one third of China’s total output. The region is also well known for its production of high quality tea.

Zhejiang Province is also a magnet for foreign investment. The People’s Government of Zhejiang Province success in encouraging both local business and foreign investment has been dubbed the “Zhejiang Model”.

Zhejiang, and in particular Hangzhou, is popular with tourists, especially domestic tourists. Renowned scenic spots include West Lake in Hangzhou, the 3rd Century AD Ling Yin temple and Tiantai Mountain.

There is a Chinese saying that goes, “Above us there is heaven and on earth we have Hangzhou and Suzhou”.

Further information about Zhejiang

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