Beijing's announcement on NYE 2025 of new trade restrictions on beef effective January 1 2026 are a reminder of ongoing trade risk, but they do not point to a fundamental deterioration in Australia-PRC economic ties, writes @j-laurenceson.bsky.social in @aunz.theconversation.com bit.ly/3YvCHls

What kind of power could Beijing realistically project by controlling the South China Sea? UTS:ACRI Adjunct Fellow @yuan-frank.bsky.social discusses in South China Sea NewsWire bit.ly/4rrUNRC

Last year, iron ore prices ⬇️ by 8.4% but new ABS data show Australia's goods trade with mainland China ⬆️ by $10.6 billion. How? China is Australia's most important market for other exports: minerals/fuels/agriculture/seafood/forestry. And imports too! Now, add around $20 billion in services trade!

Professor James Laurenceson (@j-laurenceson.bsky.social) on trade:

PERSPECTIVES | ChAFTA at 10: A decade in review December 20 marks the 10th anniversary of ChAFTA entering into force. @j-laurenceson.bsky.social revisits the public debate around the claimed pros and cons of ChAFTA in 2015 and assesses the outcomes in the decade that has followed bit.ly/3Y3FToe

"We just can’t go all in on AUKUS, all in on the United States, all in on containing China and imagine that our trade with China, which is paying for our submarines, can actually be sustained. It can’t," @j-laurenceson.bsky.social tells @nbcnews.com bit.ly/4iOIwSy

The proposal that US attempts to counter the PRC can only be achieved through likeminded countries pooling tech, economic and military capabilities was explored by @j-laurenceson.bsky.social and Naoise McDonagh in a recent AU Centre for International Trade & Investment webinar Watch: bit.ly/3EKHVnc

"Australian universities 'underweighted' appreciation of security threats has given way to a simplistic 'culture of caution'... a forthcoming book chapter argues" @timeshighered.bsky.social reports on a soon-to-be-published paper by @j-laurenceson.bsky.social bit.ly/3RqNt94

For our Perth-based followers: @j-laurenceson.bsky.social will join former Ambassador Geoff Raby and Gordon Flake @perthusasia.bsky.social to discuss 'What does great power competition in today’s world mean for Australia?'. May 7, 12-2.30pm AWST, Ritz Carlton, Perth Tickets: bit.ly/44KNCMd

The implications of the ongoing trade war for the PRC's economy, global supply chains and the broader region are explored by @j-laurenceson.bsky.social, Dan Wang @eurasiagroup.net and Bert Hofman, former World Bank Country Director, China in a Griffith Asia Institute webinar. Watch: bit.ly/42T8dLO

ABC Vote Compass data on voters' views on Australia-PRC relations is analysed by @j-laurenceson.bsky.social and discussed in the context of 2024 UTS:ACRI/BIDA Poll findings by @elenacollinson.bsky.social and Paul Burke - via @abcnewsnetau.bsky.social bit.ly/3YqC7Wu

Following reports that countries wanting US tariff relief will be pressured to curb their trade with the PRC, @j-laurenceson.bsky.social examines the question 'Should Australia line up with the US and form an anti-China economic bloc?' in @canberratimes.bsky.social bit.ly/4lHehzN

Recordings are now available for 'ChAFTA: Assessing outcomes a decade on', featuring Trade Minister Don Farrell, former Trade Ministers Andrew Robb and Craig Emerson, columnist Glenda Korporaal, PRC Min-Counsellor Gao Feng, and @j-laurenceson.bsky.social Video: bit.ly/42k1bzy Audio: bit.ly/4crRDXW

Both sides of Australian politics have committed to spiking Chinese ownership of the lease to operate Darwin Port. Media reports frequently cite "defence experts" who claim its necessary to protect national security. But is it true? 👇 theconversation.com/alarmist-non...

ANALYSIS | ChAFTA: An Australian assessment of core outcomes a decade on With ChAFTA now a decade in operation, @j-laurenceson.bsky.social provides an Australian assessment of core outcomes against a backdrop of claims by advocates and critics of the deal bit.ly/3RCdbHE

On suggestions that US tariffs may spur on tech and AI development in the PRC, "[T]his 'spurring' is already locked in," @j-laurenceson.bsky.social tells @capitalbrief.com bit.ly/3RD3CrO

On US tariffs, pleased to offer some comments from an Australian perspective to James Curran at AFR. The moves "hasten the US path towards economic irrelevance in Australia’s region". And surely no-one buys "friend-shoring" anymore? afr.com/policy/forei...

The US turn against Australia and the Asia-Pacific is about far more than tariffs. Now threatening the academic freedom of American and Australian researchers, the Q must be asked whether agreements with US institutions will now require notifying Canberra. timeshighereducation.com/news/confuci...

'Ambiguous alignment: Australia navigating US-China rivalry in the post-AUKUS era' @j-laurenceson.bsky.social makes the case that post-AUKUS, Australia has not comprehensively abandoned its hedging strategy in China International Strategy Review. Open access: bit.ly/44esjSW

APPLICATIONS CLOSING SOON | China Matters-UTS:ACRI Fellowship 2025-2026 The Fellowship is an opportunity for an Australian early-career researcher in the field of China Studies, examining issues of policy relevance for Australia. Apply now: bit.ly/3DKfyVJ

"While AU has shifted towards a more realist approach in military matters...its economic strategy continues to reflect a strong attachment to liberalism...This is evident in AU’s handling of past CN economic coercion" - @j-laurenceson.bsky.social in @eastasiaforum.bsky.social bit.ly/3RnmHhF

Australia has widely come to be seen as a prototypical IR Balancer against China, having abandoned its hedging strategy around 2017. I don't think that's right. Pleased to share my latest peer-reviewed article in China International Strategy Review. 👇 rdcu.be/efoX7

There’s a common line that Australia always just follows the US. I hear this particularly often in China. In fact, Australia’s foreign policy is much more sophisticated than that. New in East Asia Forum👇 eastasiaforum.org/2025/03/27/a...

As we near 10 yrs since ChAFTA's signing, join @acri-uts.bsky.social & the ACBC to hear from Trade Minister Don Farrell and former trade ministers Robb & Emerson, w/ mod Glenda Korporaal. @j-laurenceson.bsky.social will also present the findings of a forthcoming analysis of the deal bit.ly/4j3ynSD

"The government and the opposition are largely mute on the threat of such blatant “foreign interference” in Australian university research efforts despite their regular admonitions against any such behaviour from China". Even more so the broader USA 啦啦隊... www.afr.com/politics/fed...

On Australian industries benefiting from the PRC's trade hits on the US and Canada, "This has got nothing to do with morals or geopolitical sympathies. It’s just business," @j-laurenceson.bsky.social tells the Australian bit.ly/4bO0bYE

Apply now for the China Matters-UTS:ACRI Fellowship 2025-2026 The Fellowship is an opportunity for an Australian early-career researcher in the field of China Studies, examining issues of policy relevance for Australia. More information: bit.ly/3QPqjIY

Neither Canberra nor Australian business would try to spin the Trump administration's trade policy as a positive for Australia overall. That said, there will be some opportunities too, as Will Glasgow points out in The OZ. Happy to offer some comments. www.theaustralian.com.au/world/austra...

When China hit Australia with trade punishment in 2020, Canberra didn’t respond to stupid with stupid. But unsurprisingly, Australian public opinion towards China slumped. The same dynamic will now play out with the US. Best wishes to 🇺🇸 diplomats managing the self-inflicted fall out.

With the US putting tariffs on Australian steel&aluminium because, apparently, they are a national security threat, it's not all bad news. With CN putting tariffs on US exports of beef & more, some AU exporters are well positioned to advance the national interest! 加油! www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/b...

WEBINAR | Are the best days of the Australia-China business and trade relationship over? Lauren Gilbert, Austrade Guangzhou; Vaughn Barber, AustCham China; and Murray Davis, Meat & Livestock Australia will provide an on-the-ground perspective. Mar 10, 12.00pm AEDT, online. Register: bit.ly/4hXGsbp