David Littleproud said reports that coal shipments had been cancelled would not ‘disrupt our exports’ and was not retaliatory
Agriculture minister David Littleproud has warned Australia needs to “take a calm deep breath” amid an escalation of trade hostilities with China, as Beijing moves to shift its power plants’ $14bn reliance on Australian imports towards domestic coal.
The potential foreshadowing of a trade war comes as the communist party-run Global Times newspaper continued to inflame tensions, seeking to cast Australia with an un-nuanced choice between its security ally America, and its largest trading partner, China.
