[Bai Xiao, special correspondent of the Global Times in Australia] "The Australian Treasurer rejected the call of the United States to'decouple from China '." According to a report by the Australian Financial Review on the 17th, U.S. Treasury Secretary Bescent recently encouraged U.S. allies to reduce their trade with China. Australia, a traditional ally of the United States and a major mineral exporter, "declined" this proposal.

Bessent said on Friday that China's actions showed that reliance on China, dependence on rare-earth and anything else is "riskant".He urged allies to follow the United States and reduce dependence on China.Jim Chamers, Australian Treasury Secretary at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank's Autumn Annual Meeting in Washington, said on Friday that trading is more beneficial for Australia and setting more trade barriers is not the country's core interest.We will work with partners to ensure we can become a very reliable supplier to meet key mineral needs in our country, the United States and other markets in the world."This was interpreted by Australian media as "disagree with the proposal of the US Treasury Minister."

Australia holds 36 of the 50 key mineral products identified by the United States, making it a strategic position in the global key mineral supply chain. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that Prime Minister Albany will meet in Washington next week with U.S. President Trump and discuss a key mineral deal. Chamers said, ¡°We know that U.S. companies urgently need critical minerals, and Australia is fully capable of meeting that demand.

While promising to meet U.S. needs, Australia has questioned its "decoupling" rhetoric. The Australia Financial Review said that the seemingly fierce words made by Bessen and other U.S. officials may have been just a gesture to negotiate with Beijing, but the U.S. government hopes to bring allies together and promise not to export specific goods to China or buy products from other places. This is a "disastrous situation" for Australia because Australia's finances rely on selling iron ore and coal to China.

¡°This issue has again been raised, highlighting the distinctive contrast between Australia and the United States in the worldview.The U.S. government sees trade and economy as a diplomatic code, while Australia cannot take the risk of using exports to China as a negotiation code,¡± the report writes.