Global Courant 2023-05-11 17:47:51
Australian Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell visited China on Thursday as part of a concerted effort to mend ties scarred by political fractures over the past decade.
In a statement released by his office, Farrell said he would “strongly advocate for the full resumption of unfettered Australian exports to China”.
China is Australia’s largest trading partner, with two-way exchanges totaling $287 billion by 2022. China recently resumed imports of coal, cotton and copper from Australia after a lengthy unannounced trade embargo.
Farrell said he would push for a review of Australian barley tariffs and would represent “the interests of Australian exporters and producers”.
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China blocked such exports in retaliation for government action against Beijing’s alleged interference in Australian elections, civic life and the large Australian-Chinese community.
Despite improvements in economic relations, ties between the two remain strained.
In April, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said bilateral relations are unlikely to return to the levels of the early 2000s, when trade was separated from political and strategic priorities.
Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell is interviewed at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 16, 2023. Farrell visited China on May 11, 2023, as part of an effort to rebuild ties scarred by political rifts in the past decade. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)
Since then, Australia has expanded security cooperation with the United States, China’s main rival for influence in the Asia-Pacific region.
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Beijing has sharply criticized Australia’s participation in the so-called AUKUS partnership, linking it with the United States and Britain to create an Australian fleet of eight submarines powered by US nuclear technology, largely as response to China’s growing military assertiveness in the South China Sea. the South Pacific and the East China Sea.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will host US President Joe Biden and the leaders of India and Japan — countries with which China maintains active border disputes — for a summit of leaders of the so-called Quad nations on May 24.
Australia has also blocked the sale of assets, including critical infrastructure, to Chinese companies in recent years on national security grounds.
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Farrell said he would meet with China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao following a pledge in February to improve dialogue “at all levels as a path to the full resumption of trade”.
“Since then, the Australian government has been pleased to see several positive trade developments,” his office quoted him as saying.
