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Victorian government releases China Silk Road deal memo

Victoria's government has released a memorandum understanding into the Belt and Road Initiative with China after the secretive deal was announced last month.

The Victorian government has released details of its China Silk Road initiative.
The Victorian government has released details of its China Silk Road initiative. Source: AAP

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A memorandum of understanding with China to link Victoria with the Belt and Road Initiative has been released by the state government weeks after the secretive deal was announced.

The program aims to create a modern Silk Road with "transit and trade corridors" between China and Europe with Victoria the first state in Australia to sign up to the initiative on October 8, the document shows.

However, Premier Daniel Andrews didn't announce the memorandum of understanding had been signed until the formal ceremony on October 25.

"This new Australian first agreement sums up everything we have achieved with China over the past four years - it means more trade and more Victorian jobs and an even stronger relationship with China," Mr Andrews said at the time.

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The five-year agreement aims to enhance policy co-ordination between Victoria and China, see the two work together to "explore and form synergy in co-operation" and promote friendly co-operation.

The memorandum of understanding is not legally binding but it has faced criticism with Prime Minister Scott Morrison saying foreign policy should be left to the federal government.

"I mean, I'd like to give him (Daniel Andrews) a few tips on how he should be running his police force down there, because if you're living in Victoria, he hasn't been doing a pretty crash hot job on that," he told Sydney radio station 2GB.

Mr Morrison said Australia had for years maintained a consistent policy on the Belt and Road Initiative, and did not have a memorandum of understanding with China on the global infrastructure project.


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