CANBERRA, March 28 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific has announced greater investment in the Australian state of South Australia on the back of a partnership between the airline and local Australian rules football team, Port Adelaide.
Port Adelaide is the Australian Football League (AFL) team hosting an official league match in Shanghai in May, and as part of the club's China Engagement Strategy aimed at bridging the gap between the two nations both culturally and economically Cathay Pacific has announced it will be increasing its investment into South Australia and its capital city, Adelaide.
Cathay Pacific's General Manager of its South West Pacific operation Nelson Chin said the investment was made on the back of a lot of hard work from the football team, which plays the Gold Coast Suns in Shanghai later this year.
"Our partnership with Port Adelaide extends beyond the match in China," Chin said in a statement released on Tuesday.
"Like Port Adelaide, Cathay Pacific is focused on growing and developing strong commercial and cultural relationships between Australia and China.
"Adding a fifth service to the Adelaide-Hong Kong route from the start of July shows our commitment to our partnership and to the state of South Australia."
Meanwhile, Port Adelaide Football Club CEO Keith Thomas said the partnership is important in further driving "better economic and cultural relations" between Australia and China. He said Cathay Pacific's commitment to taking hundreds of Port Adelaide supporters to the landmark match in China in May was admirable, and welcomed the increased investment.
"Since coming on board as a premier partner, Cathay Pacific has been delivering Port Adelaide supporters incredible service to help send them to Shanghai in style," Thomas said on Tuesday.
"Our China Engagement Strategy is working with international businesses like Cathay Pacific to drive better economic and cultural relations between Australian and Chinese business, and tourism investment is key to this.
"We welcome Cathay Pacific's increased investment in South Australia and look forward to this partnership continuing."
