CANBERRA, Dec. 16 -- Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has announced on Monday the appointment of Professor Sandra Harding and Frank Tudor as members of the Australia-China Council Board, which aims to further strengthen and diversify its economic and strategic engagement with China.

The Australia-China Council (ACC) was established by the Australian government in 1978 to promote mutual understanding and foster relations between the two countries.

"They join the Council as Australia looks to further strengthen and diversify our economic and strategic engagement with China, revitalize Australia's international education sector and facilitate greater student and professional mobility, including through the New Colombo Plan," Julie Bishop confirmed in a statement on Monday.

According to Bishop, Professor Harding and Frank Tudor will bring "significant experience and knowledge of business and education sectors" to the Australia-China Council Board.

Professor Harding, the female vice-chancellor and president of James Cook University, is an economic sociologist and a distinguished higher education leader.

And Frank Tudor, the managing director of Horizon Power, is immediate past president and the chairman of the Board of the Australia-China Business Council. He has held various executive management roles over the last 25 years in the European, Asian and Australian oil, gas and power industries.