Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba has taken the next step in furthering its Australian operation, signing a memorandum of understanding with GS1 Australia to “formalise, promote and strengthen” online trade between China and Australia.

The memorandum, signed by Alibaba’s ANZ managing director Maggie Zhou and GS1 Australia chairman Russell Stucki in Melbourne last Friday, signals a push from the e-commerce company to standardise product information across supply chain stakeholders in both markets.

“We are excited to enter into this agreement with GS1 Australia and support local businesses entering the Chinese market through Alibaba’s platforms,” Zhou said. “The demand for Australian products on Alibaba Group’s platforms continues to grow and Chinese consumers recognise the importance of safe and authentic products.”

“The memorandum will formalise the strategic partnership to support the growth and introduction of Australian brands using GS1 standards to the millions of online shoppers using Alibaba Group’s platforms in China. The alliance with GS1 Global Office will also foster great opportunities for Alibaba to connect with over two million member businesses worldwide,” Stucki added.