The Times Australia
The Times Australia

.
The Times Real Estate

.

ANALYSIS: U.S. has become defacto beneficiary of China-Australia trade war

  • Written by SHANNON

The China–Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) took effect on 20th December 2015. It is an historic agreement that has delivered enormous benefits to Australia. It’s not only enhancing Australian competitive position in the Chinese market, but also boosting economic growth and creating jobs.

China imports about 1/3 of all Australian exports. For example, Australia’s export of iron ore to China in 2019-2020 financial year amounted to $150billon, and in 2014-2019 about $300billion.

However, the current trade relationship is a stark contrast to the “historic” China-Australia Free Trade Agreement signed at the end of 2015.

As bilateral relations have deteriorated to their lowest level in decades, a trade war between Australia and China has ramped up.

China is imposing tariffs on Australian commodities such as wine and barley, and has restricted imports of Australian beef, coal and grapes. These actions are described as “economic coercion” by the United States.

But there is the other side of the coin. Although US Secretary of State Antony Blinken promised that “Washington would not leave Australia to face economic coercion from Beijing”, trade data shows the United States is prioritizing its own economic interests over its ally’s.

The newly released trade data and reports shows that US coal shipments to China, which gradually began their upward swing from nearly zero in October last year, climbed to 300,000 tonnes by February. In March, US exported more than 660,000 tonnes coal to China, doubling the amount in February. In April, China received one million tonnes of coal from the US.

According to Chinese authorities, the United States in May continued shipping 720,000 tonnes of coal to China, in order to support an upward trend and fill the gap left by Australian coal.

Almost at the same time, Australian coal exports to China have fallen to almost zero.

According to Bruce Haigh, former Australian diplomat and political commentator, “This is not the first time the US has prescribed a dud cheque. Joe Biden is unlikely to build bridges to Southeast Asia and China for the Australian side. If the Morrison government continues to blindly follow the US in 'dealing with' China, then the Australian side will taste the bitterness.”

The United State shows “solidarity” with Australia over the trade war, but Australia is paying the price for embracing it.

The Morrison administration continues to wait for support from across the ocean as they seem to be overlooking what the U.S. has actually done.

Image - View of piles of coal on a quay in rizhao,East China’s Shandong Province - Photo:cnsphoto

The Times Features

AJE Resort ‘26 — “IMPRESSION”

Photographed by Cesar Ocampo | AFW 2025 Day 3, Barangaroo Pier Pavilion There are runways, and then there are moments. Aje’s Resort ‘26 collection, IMPRESSION, wasn’t just a fashi...

Miimi & Jiinda: Weaving Culture, Connection, and Country into Every Thread

By Cesar Ocampo When I sat down with Melissa Greenwood and her mother, Lauren Jarrett—founders of the First Nations brand Miimi & Jiinda—I knew this wasn’t going to be your st...

American Express to Provide $3.95M in Support for Restaurants Worldwide with 2025 “Backing Small” Grant Programs

Sydney, Australia 14 May 2025 – Applications are now open to small business owners who qualify for one  of American Express’ signature grant programs in 2025: Backing Internati...

FARAGE Summer '26 Brings Back the Power Suit — with Edge

Words & Photography by Cesar Ocampo On Day 2 of Australian Fashion Week, I stepped into the FARAGE Summer ’26 runway show not quite knowing what to expect—but walked away thin...

BEARE PARK Pre-Fall 2025 at Australian Fashion Week

Words & Photography by Cesar Ocampo There’s something about BEARE PARK that instantly pulls you in—not with noise, but with a kind of quiet confidence. On Day 2 of Australian ...

Understanding Structured Insurance for Multi-Unit Buildings with Shared Ownership and Common Spaces

When multiple individuals share walls, rooftops, and responsibility for communal spaces, the web of accountability becomes more intricate than it first appears. Beyond the bricks...

Times Magazine

Senior of the Year Nominations Open

The Allan Labor Government is encouraging all Victorians to recognise the valuable contributions of older members of our community by nominating them for the 2025 Victorian Senior of the Year Awards.  Minister for Ageing Ingrid Stitt today annou...

CNC Machining Meets Stage Design - Black Swan State Theatre Company & Tommotek

When artistry meets precision engineering, incredible things happen. That’s exactly what unfolded when Tommotek worked alongside the Black Swan State Theatre Company on several of their innovative stage productions. With tight deadlines and intrica...

Uniden Baby Video Monitor Review

Uniden has released another award-winning product as part of their ‘Baby Watch’ series. The BW4501 Baby Monitor is an easy to use camera for keeping eyes and ears on your little one. The camera is easy to set up and can be mounted to the wall or a...

Top Benefits of Hiring Commercial Electricians for Your Business

When it comes to business success, there are no two ways about it: qualified professionals are critical. While many specialists are needed, commercial electricians are among the most important to have on hand. They are directly involved in upholdin...

The Essential Guide to Transforming Office Spaces for Maximum Efficiency

Why Office Fitouts MatterA well-designed office can make all the difference in productivity, employee satisfaction, and client impressions. Businesses of all sizes are investing in updated office spaces to create environments that foster collaborat...

The A/B Testing Revolution: How AI Optimized Landing Pages Without Human Input

A/B testing was always integral to the web-based marketing world. Was there a button that converted better? Marketing could pit one against the other and see which option worked better. This was always through human observation, and over time, as d...

LayBy Shopping