More than ore

Despite current political tensions, Australia’s non-traditional exports to China, including the now-threatened shipments of wine, have enjoyed runaway success since the China–Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) was concluded in 2015.

China’s wine dumping ‘investigation’ shows Australian businesses must plan for Chinese coercion

Australian companies are getting the point—trade with China is hostage to the actions of the ruling Chinese Communist Party regardless of consumer desires or business partnerships formed over decades.

Don’t underestimate Australia-US trade relations

The idea that Australia faces a tension between its security alliance with the United States and its economic relationship with China overlooks the importance of its economic relationship with the United States.

Whither Australia-China trade?

The Australia-China trade relationship is currently under significant strain.  In the long run, increased protectionism would not improve Australia’s economic welfare. 

Take the trade dispute with a grain of barley

When Australian trade with China is disrupted, commentary quickly gravitates towards the frame of economic coercion. With such deeply intertwined trade relations, coercion is, in reality, only one possible cause.

How Covid-19 infected global trade

The head of the WTO, Robert Azevedo, abruptly announced his resignation on 14 May. He didn’t explain his reason, but as the guardian of the global trade rules, it could well have been despair.

Where’s the beef?

Business interests are calling for Australia to surrender its values and independence to appease China’s communist dictatorship and preserve their personal profits, but that’s a price too high to pay for beer and barley.

Barley, beef and bullies: trade tensions in a COVID-19 world

Trade boycotts do not usually work and will come at a great cost to the country imposing the ban.

Australian traders should turn to South America

Australia should not ignore the opportunities to trade more with Latin America following the historic trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur.

Did the Osaka G20 mark the end of economic order?

The Osaka G20 summit may yet be remembered in history as the moment the global rules based order was lost.

Understanding the Indonesia-Australia trade deal

The much delayed but now finally signed IA-CEPA could help take the political heat out of the countries’ bilateral relations regardless of election results in both countries.  

It’s time to modernise, not abandon, the WTO

There is no shortage of opinion pieces heralding the end of the rules-based multilateral trading system but this means the World Trade Organisation needs to be modernised, rather than abandoned altogether.