AUSTRALIA – FOREIGN RELATIONS – CHINA

Don’t go, Beijing warns students

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Richard Ferguson, Tim Dodd
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 10-Jun-20

Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan has rejected the Chinese government’s claim that Australia is not a safe destination for international students. China’s Ministry of Education has advised the nation’s students against studying in Australia, claiming that people of Asian appearance have been targeted in ‘discriminatory attacks’ during the coronavirus pandemic. Shadow education minister Tanya Plibersek has supported Tehan’s comments, stating that Australia is one of the safest countries for international students. Beijing also recently advised Chinese tourists against visiting Australia due to allegations of racist attacks.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING, CHINA. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Australia relaxed over China’s changes to iron ore export rules, but war of words goes on

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Ben Doherty
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 22-May-20

BHP and Fortescue Metals Group have welcomed China’s decision to relax its inspection rules for iron ore shipments. From 1 June, customs officials will only inspect batches of iron ore if this is requested by the importer or trader; all shipments were previously subject to mandatory inspection on arrival in China. Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable says the new customs procedures recognise the high quality of Australian iron ore. However, the Chinese media has warned that growing trade tensions could potentially hit Australia’s iron ore exports. Australia supplies 62 per cent of China’s iron ore.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

China knew barley dumping claims were false

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Andrew Taylor, Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 20-May-20

The federal government will hold crisis talks with barley growers on 20 May following China’s imposition of a punitive tariff, but Trade Minister Simon Birmingham says the nation will not retaliate with a trade war. The government is likely to take the matter to the World Trade Organisation, although it remains hopeful of resolving the dispute bilaterally. Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the government’s submission to China’s Commerce Ministry noted that China International Chamber of Commerce officials had admitted that there was no evidence to support claims of dumping by Australian barley producers.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION, CHINA. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, CHINA INTERNATIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

PM plays a long game with China, US cashes in

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 15-May-20

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Australia will never "trade away its values" and will continue to pursue calls for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19 despite China’s trade threats. The government holds the view that it is being tested by China, and that China is seeking to create division between the government and business by targeting important trade sectors such as agriculture. With China threatening 80 per cent tariffs on Australian barley, China is now allowing barley imports from the US as part of its commitment under the easing of its trade war with the Trump administration.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Australia used as example to warn world

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: 5 : 14-May-20

The motives for China’s decision to suspend beef imports from Australia continue to attract scrutiny. Richard McGregor of the Lowy Institute says China is sending a message to countries that cross it politically. There have been suggestions that the ban is in retaliation to Australia’s push for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. Stephen Kirchner of the US Studies Centre believes that the threat of punitive tariffs on Australian barley is in response to the anti-dumping duties being imposed on Chinese steel, rather than the proposed coronavirus inquiry.

CORPORATES
LOWY INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL POLICY, UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. UNITED STATES STUDIES CENTRE

Birmingham: Tit-for-tat tariffs not on

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey, John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 14-May-20

Trade Minister Simon Birmingham says China should appeal to the World Trade Organization if it is still unhappy about Australia’s decision in 2014 to impose a tariff on Chinese steel imports. He contends that China should not seek to resolve an anti-dumping dispute by imposing its own tariff on Australian barley, describing such actions as unjustified. Birmingham adds that there is no evidence to support China’s claim that Australian barley is being subsidised.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION

Union backs PM over China

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Geoff Chambers, Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 14-May-20

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has told parliament that the comprehensive strategic partnership with China has been highly successful. However, amid growing tensions between the two nations, Morrison has stressed that Australia will always act in the national interest when relations become strained. Meanwhile, the federal government’s stance on China has received support from Daniel Walton, the national secretary of the Labor-aligned Australian Workers’ Union. He has urged the government to resist pressure from China over domestic and foreign policy decisions.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

China cereal killer threat

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey, Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 11-May-20

China is threatening to impose tariffs of over 80 per cent on Australian barley, with the federal government given 10 days to argue why they should not be imposed. China’s threat comes after an 18-month investigation into allegations that Australia was dumping its barley in China. Farmers and grain grower groups have consistently maintained the investigation was politically motivated, while Australia has not ruled out the possibility of taking China to the World Trade Organisation over the dispute. The Chinese market was worth just under $600 million to Australian barley farmers in 2019.

CORPORATES
WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION

All the way with ScoMo on China

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Ben Packham, Cameron Stewart
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 1-May-20

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is supporting Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s push for an independent review into the origins of COVID-19. Pompeo says all nations should back Australia’s call for such a review, while he attacked China for threatening economic retaliation against Australia over its review push. Billionaires Andrew Forrest and Kerry Stokes have been criticised by security experts and MPs over their comments that Morrison to back off on his call for a review, with Stokes and Forrest reminded that they should not confuse Australia’s national interest with their own commercial interests.

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. DEPT OF STATE, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM

China rejects call for probe of virus origins

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Andrew Tillett, Michael Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 11 : 21-Apr-20

China’s Foreign Ministry claims that it has "serious concerns" about Foreign Minister Marise Payne’s call for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. A spokesperson for the Ministry has suggested that Australia should not "blindly follow other countries", and should instead focus on improving epidemic control and on improving its relationship with China. Australia-China Relations Institute director James Laurenceson says he does not think China would agree to such an inquiry; he notes that the global financial crisis began in the US, but that the US "did not open up its books" to show what happened.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, CHINA. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE. DEPT OF FOREIGN ECONOMIC AND TRADE POLICY, AUSTRALIA-CHINA RELATIONS INSTITUTE