Albanese seems to be losing for us the cold (grey) war against Communist China; with the help of head-in-the-sand Australian voters.

The delusion of Western “experts” that Communist China would integrate into an international system of rules based trading has proved to be wrong. All that the rush to cosy up to a Communist dictatorship to make money has done is to boost China's economy into one that now dictates to the West and threatens the West.

China has scorned ‘international law’ and shown it to be a joke. It's a pity the West didn't get the joke, and smack down the Communist thugs while it had the chance. Better still, had nothing to do with them.

Australia would do well to transfer our trade to both India and Indonesia who I am sure would welcome our contribution to their economies.
David

Australia would do well to transfer our trade to both India and Indonesia
VK3AUU,
Even just making it a two-way trade would help immensely. Don't blame the Chinese for the greed of Australians. Why not ask the unions how they plan to help make Australia competitive again ?

AGREE!
Alan B.

Making Australia competitive again, is not up to unions but the availability of cheap energy and that's not coal, gas or renewables, but, the world's cheapest energy, MSR thorium!

Agree we should build closer trade relationships with India, Indonesia and Southeast Asia. FTAs where possible!
Alan B,

Making Australia competitive again, is not up to unions
Alan B,
So, if not the Unions, who is asking for pay rises as soon as there's the slightest whisper of a positive econom

Belly-aching about China from a far right philosophical standpoint serves no purpose. Australia's trade position is the result of private enterprise decisions based on free market economics over many years, little to do with government. As many want their cake and eat it to as far a China is concerned, we want all those Chinese manufactured "goodies" but lets cut them off from our raw materials, which they are willing to pay the highest price for, tell that to 'Twiggy' Forrest. Australia should broaden its trade horizon and look for new and additional markets where possible, but the reality is if China is the highest bidder then business will sell to China.

It is appalling that Australia has entwined itself with China, a monstrous Communist country. Greed has led us into fooling ourselves that China and Communism are 'normal', just a different way of doing things. No, and No.

Communism is evil, and it will always be a threat to us and the free world unless we stop handing over jobs to China, wrecking our economy with unreliable wind and solar, while the Chinese make use of our coal and minerals to do just the opposite.

We did OK without China in the past; we can do OK again without that evil empire. The people who got us into this mess should be in jail.

Hi ttbn,
"It is appalling that Australia has entwined itself with China, a monstrous Communist country."
- I'm not sure what you're worried about to be honest ttbn
It's China who are going to give the West the flick, wherever possible.
They're moving to increase trade with the Global South and BRICS countries

- We're the ones who will HAVE TO find new buyers for our stuff.
But Australians will still want cheap Chinese goods.

Losing industrial manufacturing was suicide already anyway.

"We did OK without China in the past; we can do OK again without that evil empire."

Lol...
Try convincing anyone under 30 that they'll have to go without the next model iphone and they'll fight YOU on it.

It's too late, you can't put the toothpaste back into the tube...

What happened to all the car manufacturing plants in Australia ? Could some of them still be used for other industries or perhaps to build smaller, less electronic 4x4's for Australian conditions ?
Or, have they all been destroyed or dismantled ?

The silliest think about Australia is that its biggest trading partner is also its biggest security threat. It doesn't get crazier than that.

Will the forums "Usual Suspects" banging on about China be willing to "make a statement" themselves and ditch all those Chinese made gadgets etc they are so fond of? Would they like to see Australia cut all trade ties with China, me thinks not! The NOALITIONS foreign policy towards China was a complete disaster, at least Labor is making the best it can, of what is potentially a very bad situation. Penny Wong is proving to be an excellent Foreign Minister in dealing with China.

SPELL IT OUT ttbn, what would YOU do differently if YOU were calling the shots for Australia on China? For me I am happy with Labor's foreign policy on China relations. Agree when you can, and disagree when you must.

If you still need me to "spell out" what I would do about China, you haven't been paying attention, Paul.

I see ttbn,

"Better still, had nothing to do with them"
"We did OK without China in the past; we can do OK again without that evil empire."

Cut off all ties with China, okay what steps personally have you taken in that direction. I recall you were running around with a Chinese made Aussie Flag, celebrating Invasion Day. What else 'Made In China" do you buy, use and enjoy?

BTW, US bilateral trade with China accounts for around $750 billion, wasn't reduced under your folk hero Trump. All talk no action.

okay what steps personally have you taken in that direction
Paul1405,
Okay, offer us Australian manufactured commodities & we'll buy them but you can't can you ? Your beloved unions have out-demanded unsustainable pay rates in return for what ? Pi$$-poor quality & pi$$-poor service standards, again courtesy of unions, are the reason Australians have no option but buy China made. Reign in the outrageous pay rates & we can have our own manufacturing again. Will you take steps to tell your unions to curb their demands ?

People who cannot recognise the evil of Communism are themselves either evil or Communists.

People who will deal with Communist just to get cheap stuff are beyond description, as are the those businesses and individuals profiting from the association with the evil empire.

Dear Ttbn,

China is communist in name only.

That does not detract from its totalitarian, racist, nationalist and colonialist evils.

Yuyutsu "China is communist in name only". Correct, China is nowhere near being a true communist society.

Indy, what are those "absolutely essential" items that China produces that you absolutely must have? Be truthful you want to buy Chinese goods because they're cheaper than the alternative. You love shopping in Kmart!

ttbn, "People who will deal with Communist just to get cheap stuff are beyond description, as are the those businesses and individuals profiting from the association with the evil empire." Still waving you cheap Chinese made Aussie flag, are you?

Paul1405,
I can see your simple vindictive mind to want to waste our time trying to discuss serious issues. Please do OLO a huge favour & move over to Mathilda etc

Lets look at the facts.

China is Australia's largest trading partner.
The current government is rebuilding ties
after a period of strained relations -
which hit a low in 2020 after Canberra called
for an independent investigation into the origin
of COVID-19.

Beijing responded by imposing tariffs of billions of
dollars worth on Australian commodity imports, most
of which have been lifted since a change of government
in Canberra 2 years ago.

The Foreign Minister Penny Wong told Chinese and
Australian reporters recently of the importance of
face-to-face diplomacy to better understand each other.
But she also made it quite clear that Australia wanted to
be treated with respect and as an equal partner.

Australia needs to think about how to remain
and maintain its independence. But it should also not make
the mistake of walking away from China. It needs to work
with China while at the same time keeping its sovereignty.

If Australia walked away from China it would not survive
not if it wanted to keep living the way it is currently living.
But it also needs to maintain relationships, especially with its
Asian neighbours and the US, UK, and other western countries.

That's why the current agreements - like AUKUS are so important.

"I look forward to speaking frankly about Australians detained
in China, human rights, maritime security and safety, as well
as regional and international issues, such as the Pacific,
Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the conflict in the Middle
East," Penny Wong said to her Chinese counterpart - Wang Yi
on his recent visit.

Wong expressed - "Our serious concern about unsafe conduct at
sea, our desire for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait
and in our region."

It appears that Australia is on the right track in its
dealing with China.

"I agree that "the goose does needs to not only be nurtured but
bred."

And the current government is trying to do precisely that.

Well said Foxy, I agree.

Indy, is happy to put his snout in the trough and draw a fat pension, some of which is generated by our trade with China. Note how the old bloke attacks workers, public servants and anyone not like himself whilst taking as much undeserved largesee from taxpayers as he can. Hypocrite is not a strong enough word to describe this bloke.

Indy, the device you type your rubbish on, where was it made? CHINA I'd bet.

where was it made? CHINA I'd bet.
Paul1405,
Definitely not in Australia, your unions would go berserk if someone built something here !

Paul1405,
Talking about unions, it's almost Easter & no strike as yet ?

Indy,

Again you are detached from reality, living in a 1960's time warp. There are few lost hours in Australia through industrial action these days. Again I ask what are you doing to counter China, which you claim to be so concerned about, just like all the other far right belly-achers NOTHING! Happy as usual to take as much as you can get, and expect others to carry the load!

Paul1405,
Typical parasite whine !

"We live in perilous times, but we will survive as long as we thrive economically. This is hard to do when the bulk of our politicians and voters seem to think that the Golden Goose will live forever." And with a government and Greens who are pursuing emissions, industrial and policies which are severely damaging our economy and future prospects. We are going downhill on many levels but this is not generally recognised. Turning things round will be a diabolical task.

Albo's government has put up the cash for a solar panel factory.
Did Penny Wong, or perhaps more importantly did Paul Keating, get an
agreement to not punish us if we put a tarrif in Chinese panels.
Hard to see how we can produce them cheaper than the Chinese with
their enlightened employment practises.

Bezza,

Do you base everything on cheapness? Australian made panels would be 10% dearer, but produce 15% more power over their life time. If you only want cheap then by all means buy Chinese.

Graham, acknowledged by few, but not well understood by many is the impending economic 'war by supplies attrition' and 'denial of service(s)' soon to be visited upon Australia and the region generally. This as retribution for those countries supporting Taiwan's wish to be free of China and the CCP. Successive governments, namely those of Howard, Rudd/Gillard, Abbott failed us dismally by appeasing the CCP via trade deals over defence spending & keeping pace with the threat posed by the awakening dragon to our north. AUKUS (which should actually read: CACTUS) is 25 years too late. Even thousands of Australian built "canoes" - each armed with a couple of hand deployed anti armour weapons or drones (deployed in a similar fashion to the Ukrainians taking out 'Moskva' & 'Sergey Kotov') would have little effect. PNG - Manus Island's Momote airport has been upgraded to take PLA heavy transport aircraft and this enables them to pose a serious threat to our northern approaches. PNG - Merauke proposed CCP PLAN base in Torres Strait. Quote from April 2022 - "China is rolling out the Digital Silk Road in the Pacific, using its Pacific embassies to set up ground stations for its Beidou satellite navigation system. Meanwhile, China makes use of commercial operations for Beidou-equipped reference stations in the Pacific. Ground stations and reference stations work together to provide centimetre-level accuracy for satellites. Beidou is China’s GPS equivalent, and it is now on a par with, if not better than, GPS. Like GPS, it’s a military technology, crucial for missile targeting and timing." Undermanned to patrol with Collins Class boats, poor maintenance on the Mk48's and the arrival in 2040 of the nuke boats. Better start those lessons in Mandarin pronto.