Preliminary

Just when the Sino-US trade war was raging,AustraliaThe trade volume with China has surged and reached a new historic high.21 billion dollars！

Australian Prime Minister Albani said:China has lifted all countermeasures against Australia.At the same time, the United States also opened a side on the Australian network, and tariffs only collected one.10% of the lowest gear。

Why did Australia becomeThe biggest winner of the Sino-US gameWhy do the U.S. prefer Australia?

That number is $100 billion, and the whole world is shocked.

China's bilateral trade last year21 billion dollars, year-on-year growthMore than 25%This is the highest record since the establishment of relations between the two countries.

What is even more surprising is that just as global trade is shrinking and countries are worried about orders, Australia's agricultural products are constantly flying to the China market.

Light isSouth AustraliaIn one place, exports to China rose by 33%, reaching a historic high of $43,9 billion.

This contrarian growth is simply incredible. FromBarley to wine, from lobster to beef, Australia's premium produce has re-occupied China's table.

In particular, barley exports have grown at an alarming rate.Five times, with a total value of A $556.8 million. By the first two months of 2024, Australia has accounted for all Chinese barley imports with nearly 1.6 million tons of exports to China60%。

Australia has once again become the largest import source of Chinese barley.

The recovery of the wine market is even more promising.

In March 2024, after China announced the termination of its "double-reverse" measures against Australian wine, Australian wine merchants were as excited as having received chicken blood. Orders from some well-known wineries are directly scheduled for a few months later, that kindA sweet wineThe Chinese are back on the table.

Not to mention lobster and beef.

China lifted import restrictions in December 2024.Australian shrimpFishing the same day, and the next day can appear in China's high-end restaurants. this freshness, is the long-distance transportation of American products is not much more than.

Each of these ships travelling to China was filled with Australian confidence in the future.

Throw off the ‘microphone’, Australia shows diplomatic face change

In the haze of the global trade war, Australia has becomeThe only beneficiary.。To talk about Australia’s success, one has to start with one.

He is the current prime minister of Australia.AlbanianAfter he took office in 2022, the first thing he did was radically change Australia’s policy towards China.

Before him, the Australia Alliance government simply messed up China-Australia relations. Those politicians are keen on doing what they call"Microphone diplomacy.", always pointing fingers at China's internal affairs.

What is "microphone diplomacy"? It's standing in front of the microphone and performing for others to see and saying something grandstanding.

China-Australia relations fell into the ice, and the Australian farmers' orders flew away one by one.

After Albanese took the stage, he immediately threw this "show" into the trash. He proposed a pragmatic policy approach towards China:"Cooperative agencies can cooperate, speak directly when there are differences, and act on the basis of national interests."。

This approach sounds simple, but requires extraordinary political wisdom.

In just three years, Albanis successfully held with China leadersThree meetings。This high-level interaction has laid a solid foundation for improving relations between the two countries.

In 2023, he also withstood the pressure of some domestic forces and resumed the seven-year interrupted Australian prime minister's visit to China.

The visit released a strong signal that Australia no longer politizes trade issues.

China has seen Australia's sincerity in improving relations and has also shown a great response. Starting from August 2023, a series of trade restrictions will beOrderly cancellation。

First, the "double-reverse" measures of barley were terminated, then wine, then lobster and beef.

This step-by-step approach reflects the repair of relations between the two countriesProgressive wisdom。

More importantly, Australia understandsSeparation of economy and securitystrategy

On the one hand, they cooperate deeply with China economically; on the other hand, they maintain traditional allies with the United States in the field of security.

such"Separation of economy and security."The strategy has allowed Australia to find its place in a complex international situation.

Albany once said an interesting phrase: "Australian foreign policy, of course, must be adjusted according to its own national interests."

It is this simple sentence that tells the true meaning of Australia's success.

Why Australia laughs and Canada wants to cry without tears

Australia's success is all the more striking in contrast.

They are also allies of the United States, and Canada’s days are not so good.In July this year, the Canadian government announced a tariff on China’s steel under Trump’s pressure.25% tariff。

China immediately took countermeasures, suspended relevant orders, and turned to Australia to promote rapeseed imports. This turn cost Canada heavy losses.

You know, Canada used to be the largest supplier of rapeseed to China. In 2024, the value of Canadian rapeseed exports to China is close toC $5 billion, accounting for nearly half of its total rapeseed exports.

That position is now being replaced by Australia, which, under the draft agreement, has qualified for five trial runs totalling about 150,000 to 250,000 tonnes.

Canada's Saskatchewan Premier Scott Mo couldn't sit still. He had to announce that he would visit China in the near future, hoping to persuade China to lift anti-dumping measures on Canadian rapeseed.

But there are huge doubts about whether this move will work.

What is even more embarrassing is what happened to Japan and South Korea.

Affected by the Sino-US trade war and the global geopolitical game, the scale of intra-regional trade between China, Japan and South Korea has increased from about85 billion dollarsDown to about $737 billion in 2024, down 13.5%.

The situation is worst in Japan. In 2024, Japan's trade with China will decrease by about 4.0% compared with 2019, and its trade with South Korea will decrease by 7.8% compared with 2021.

In the semiconductor industry, Japan and South Korea imposed export restrictions on China, resulting in its own market share in China continuing to decline.

In 2020, the Chinese market accounted for 45,0% of South Korea’s semiconductor exports, and by the end of 2024, this proportion has dropped.35.7%。

This approach, which harms others but not benefits itself, is in sharp contrast to Australia's pragmatic strategy.

The EU is also having a hard time. EU trade with China fell by 8% in 2024, while Australia's trade with China increased by 25%.

Among the G7 countries, only Australia has achieved positive growth in trade with China and increased growthLeading developed economies。

Australian Trade Minister Donald Farrell said: “China is Australia’s largest trading partner, and for Australia, trade with China is 10 times more important than trade with the United States.”

In the 2023-2024 year, Australia's exports to China will be $212 billion, while the exports to the United States will be only $37 billion.

This huge gap allowed Australia to recognize itself clearly.Where the real benefit lies。

Can other countries learn this "balance skill"

Australia's success is no accident.

The International Monetary Fund predicts that Australia will become the developed economy with the most stable economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region. Australia expects exports to China to break through in 2026Thirty billion Australian dollars.A new all-time high.

With the deepening of globalization, economic ties between countries are becoming closer and closer.In this case, ideological confrontation is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain,Practical cooperationBecome a mainstream choice.

A professor of international relations at the University of Sydney once commented: "Australia has achieved the optimal balance between economic interests and geopolitics."

Scholars at the China Institute for International Affairs also pointed out that “China-Australia relations have provided a new model for the diplomacy of medium-powered countries.”

Even the Brookings Institution, a think tank in the United States, pointed out in the report that Australia's "separation of issues" strategy is worth learning from other countries.

Albania's extraordinary political wisdom and executive ability. have accurate judgment of the international situation, knowing when to insist and when to compromise.Strategic strength, will not be affected by short-term interests or external pressure to affect long-term planning.

The most important thing is the courage to take responsibility for independent choices.

As Xiao Qian, Chinese Ambassador to Australia, said: "The essence of China-Australia relations is mutual benefit and win-win, and should not be kidnapped by the Cold War mentality and zero-sum game."

In this world full of uncertainty, Australia's success provides an important revelation for all medium-sized powers: strategic autonomy is the greatest security guarantee, and blindly choosing sides will only make itself a victim of the game between great powers.

In the future, more countries will learn Australia’s equilibrium, which may be the 21st-century diplomacy.new trend。

conclusion

Australia’s success is never a bad luck in this turbulent world.Strategic autonomyIt is more valuable than blind stands.This is simple to say, but it requires extraordinary political wisdom.