Australian entrepreneurs discuss on AIIB loan

The co-chairman of the Australia- China Senior Business Leaders Forum said that Australia has been challenged to become the first successful applicants for a developmental loan from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank ( AIIB).

"There was real talk in the senior business leaders forum that Australia makes the first successful application for a major loan from the AIIB," Australian entrepreneur Andrew Forrest said on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) in Sydney on Thursday.

"That actually, I think would be welcome."

Funding for infrastructure development is a key discussion point at the Sydney BFA conference on Thursday and Friday.

The conference host, New South Wales Premier Mike Baird, told the delegates in his welcoming remarks that he is looking for partners, particularly in the engineering, construction and financial services sectors, in the significant infrastructure program his government has undertaken.

"My strong belief is Asia will play an important role in the development of the infrastructure that will improve (Sydney)" and the state, Baird said.

Former Australian ambassador to China, Geoff Raby, told reporters on the sidelines of the BFA that if Australia can unlock and harvest the vast water resources in northern Australia in conjunction with Chinese capital, there is a tremendous future for the development of northern Australia. Endi