Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pointed to strong trade with China as evidence of a valuable relationship despite Chinese criticism, as Australia’s main opposition party accused him of using alarmist rhetoric for domestic gains.
Bilateral ties have sunk to their lowest point in decades, and China has in recent months moved to restrict imports of Australian products such as barley and beef after Morrison led calls for a global enquiry into the origins of Covid-19.
But Morrison said sales of other commodities illustrated the relationship had not broken down. “The relationship still exists, look at trade alone – there have never been bigger volumes. That’s a bit of a proof point.
“When all’s said and done, there’s still great value in the relationship,” Morrison said.
China is Australia’s largest trading partner. In the 12 months to March, Australia exported A$149bn ($116bn) worth of goods to China, down 0.6% from the previous year.
China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian responded by saying that China “has always held that health and stable China-Australia relations are in the fundamental interests of both countries”.
However, Zhao, speaking at a regular news briefing in Beijing, said the responsibility for the decline in relations was not “not at all China’s” and that Australia should treat China with “objectivity” and “rationality”.
Morrison’s comments came as Labour shadow foreign affairs minister Penny Wong accused him of indulging in political opportunism in foreign affairs.
“My concern is that not only does he not fully comprehend Australia’s interests in relation to China, he doesn’t even seek to,” she said at a book launch yesterday.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison
