Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
CANBERRA, May 16 (Xinhua) — Australia’s re-elected federal government led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wants to “do more business with China,” Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell told the Australian Financial Review (AFR) on Thursday.
Australia will resist pressure from the United States to impose tariffs on imports from China and make decisions based on its national interests, the official said.
“We don’t want to do less business with China, we want to do more business with China,” Farrell said. “We will make decisions about how to continue to engage with China based on our national interests, not on what Americans may or may not want,” he added.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian exports to China in 2023 were worth A$219 billion (US$140.2 billion), while exports to the United States were worth only A$33.5 billion (US$21.4 billion).
Mr Albanese, whose ruling Labour Party won the May 3 election, confirmed on Monday that Mr Farrell would remain in the role of trade and tourism minister, a post he has held since 2022.
The latter told AFR that Australia had offered to negotiate with the United States to lift the 10 percent tariff imposed by President Donald Trump in April, but Canberra would not make a deal for the sake of a deal. “We will only make a deal if it is in our national interest. We want a good deal and we are prepared to wait and be patient,” the minister said.
Mr Farrell also said Australia would soon finalise a new proposal to the European Union in talks on a free trade agreement, which stalled in 2023 but was revived in response to US tariffs. –0–