Premier Daniel Andrews to pitch North East Link, major projects at Chinese Belt and Road forum

Premier Daniel Andrews will jet to China to spruik Victoria’s biggest road project at a conference for a controversial Chinese initiative.

Premier Daniel Andrews is set to jet to China to spruik Victoria’s biggest road project at a conference for the controversial Belt and Road Initiative.

Mr Andrews confirmed he would present at Chinese president Xi Jinping’s forum next week.

In October, Victoria signed a confidential deal linking the state to the Belt and Road Initiative — a program that will see the superpower bankroll infrastructure projects worth billions of dollars around the world.

DAN’S SECRET TRADE DEAL SPARKS GREAT BRAWL OF CHINA

DAN’S SECOND SECRET CHINA DEAL REVEALED

ANDREWS MUST REVEAL DETAILS OF SECRET CHINA DEAL: GUY

It caused controversy as it emerged that the state had not sought advice from its federal counterparts, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison said it sent “mixed messages”.

Premier Daniel Andrews in Tiananmen Square on a previous trip to China. Picture: Twitter

Asked whether the trip was to drum up support for the North East Link, Mr Andrews said: “for many projects”.

“Part of having so many projects underway is that you are able to travel to other parts of the world and talk with confidence to construction companies, to those who might provide investment support, to those who build things,” he said.

“We are very much on the map. People know and understand that we have the biggest infrastructure agenda going on.”

Mr Andrews compared the Belt and Road Initiative to MOUs his state government has on public-private partnerships.

He would not confirm exactly which Chinese companies he planned to meet with.

“There will be many different people that I’ll meet with and it won’t just be individual companies,” he said.

Mr Andrews presents at the Australia-China, Belt and Road panel discussion in Melbourne. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

“It will be those from the National Development and Reform Commission, those who prepare the five-year plan.

“I’ll meet with many senior officials from the national government, as well as some from local government.”

Mr Andrews was the only Australian state leader to attend a previous Belt and Road Forum in China.

He will present at the conference next week, before heading to the Jiangsu capital, Nanjing, for its 40th anniversary celebrations.

[e-mail]

@moniquehore