Australia intends to diversify export markets, including by developing trade with China, in the face of tariffs imposed by the United States, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Tuesday on ABC radio.
“In addition to the steps we have already taken, we need to continue to trade with China, with whom we have removed $20 billion (US$13 billion – ed.) of trade barriers during our first government. We need to continue to diversify export markets,” the head of the Australian foreign policy department said.
According to her, the current tariff policy of US President Donald Trump is “tougher” compared to his previous term, and the tariffs imposed on Australia are “unfair and unreasonable.”
“We will continue to defend our position … and engage with the US administration, both in the steel sector and more broadly,” Wong emphasized.
In early April, against the backdrop of US President Donald Trump imposing tariffs on a number of countries, Chinese Ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian proposed that Canberra strengthen cooperation with Beijing in order to “stop and counter the US’s hegemonic and aggressive behavior to take over the world.” At that time, the Australian authorities rejected this proposal, announcing plans to diversify trade with other countries. Among them were India, Indonesia, Great Britain, and the UAE.
