Speaking with Sky News Business, Former Trade Minister Andrew Robb says both China and India are re-emerging as global heavyweights.

Former trade minister Andrew Robb told an audience of 400 cattle producers and beef industry stakeholders in Darwin on Friday that the next few decades can be extraordinary for Australian agriculture, but Australian investment in Asia is needed to capitalise on the opportunity.

The visit by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is warmly welcomed; it is yet another important step in further strengthening the bonds ­between our two countries. The mutual ­respect that regional peace and stability is built on is a product of such personal engagement at every level. Too much is at stake not to do so.

AN ENGLISHMAN, an American and a Japanese man walk into a bar in a small country town. Nobody looks up.

FIND a suitable long-term trusting partner who shares common values and serves mutual needs and then sign-up for sustainable contractual arrangements to seal the deal and share the future benefits.

As we watch and wait to see whether the newly ensconced United States President will go through with his threat to pull the trigger on what will be an almighty and irreparable trade war with China, something incredible is quietly unfolding between China and Australia and every Australian stands to benefit.

If someone had told Darren Minter two years ago to plant more citrus, he would've laughed and walked away. But now the Mildura farmer has used the surge in exports to China, Japan and South Korea following the Free Trade Agreements to buy another 100 acres and expand his business.

Andrew Robb, the man who negotiated the Trans-Pacific Partnership for Australia, has called for regional leaders to pressure the US into ratifying the trade pact by first turning their focus to securing a rival multilateral agreement championed by Beijing.