new report on Australia-China co-operation asks whether Canberra can refashion its resource trade with Beijing into a decarbonisation agenda.will be published by the ANU’s East Asia Bureau for Economic Research and launched by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Jan Adams.
The report notes the long-term GDP projections published in the Australian government’s 2017 foreign policy white paper. At the outset, that’s going to require regulatory and investment settings that are suitable for businesses. The paper envisages this might be a central focus for bilateral business dialogues, such as the Australia-China CEO roundtable.Still, the report presents its case for areas of energy co-operation at a sensitive time, with geopolitical tensions continuing to simmer with China.in front of an Australian navy helicopter enforcing UN sanctions against North Korea in international waters.
“It depends on our being able to maintain close political relations with the US while following trade policies in the national interest when they diverge from US preferences for us, as they did with Menzies’ and McEwen’s management of the China wheat trade, and Hawke’s and Hayden’s management of sharp differences over farm export subsidies.”
The Australia-China relationship has endured difficulties in recent years – particularly given the punitive trade tariffs China slapped on Australian beef, barley, coal, cotton, lobster and other exports.The authors make clear they know only too well that this has “crystallised concerns about the sovereign risk involved in doing business with China”.