Trade

Why our economy can afford to stand up to China with Belt and Road veto
Commentary
Why our economy can afford to stand up to China with Belt and Road veto
Originally published in the Sydney Morning Herald. 
Will the Five Eyes stare down China’s economic coercion?
Will the Five Eyes stare down China’s economic coercion?
Next month brings the inauspicious one-year anniversary of China ramping up a campaign of trade punishment against Australia. Wine, barley, beef, lobster and coal have all been…
The big bark but small bite of China’s trade coercion
The big bark but small bite of China’s trade coercion
Beginning last May, China has hit Australia with a barrage of trade sanctions in a fairly overt attempt at economic coercion. It’s still early days, but it’s worth…
With Xinjiang cotton, Beijing is taking on the world
With Xinjiang cotton, Beijing is taking on the world
When China’s nationalist outrage machine took aim at Swedish fashion giant H&M in late March, one could be forgiven for feeling a sense of déjà vu. Campaigns to boycott…
Why Aussie exporters won’t be toasting China or the US
Why Aussie exporters won’t be toasting China or the US
Lock the doors When the China trade numbers were released on Tuesday, you could hardly blame Australia’s 2500 winemakers if they locked themselves in the cellar with a nice…
A “beggar-thy-neighbour” approach keeps seafarers stranded
A “beggar-thy-neighbour” approach keeps seafarers stranded
When a business manager is willing to spend US$200,000 to send home five employees whose contracts have expired and bring five colleagues to replace them on the spot, later…
What RCEP can tell us about geopolitics in Asia
What RCEP can tell us about geopolitics in Asia
Much of the economic gains from the newly signed mega trade deal known as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership will come from mitigating what is called the Asian …
RCEP revives the art of the deal
RCEP revives the art of the deal
News that 15 governments had signed the text of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement did not force either Covid-19 or the presidential transition in…
Biden’s clean energy plan versus China’s green tech dominance
Biden’s clean energy plan versus China’s green tech dominance
A man who has earned a reputation for compromise and dealmaking over his half-century in Washington, Joe Biden has also won the presidency by presenting himself as a national…
Crew-change crisis risks supply chains – and lives
Crew-change crisis risks supply chains – and lives
Twenty-four crew members of the Al Messilah, a livestock carrier under Kuwaiti flag, tested positive last week for Covid-19 at Fremantle Port in Western Australia. They are among…