Australia’s economic brand in China is one mired in the past. Shutterstock.
When Prime Minister Anthony Albanese returned from his high-profile visit to Beijing earlier this year, the first by an Australian leader in seven years, the tone was hopeful. Trade blockages were thawing, diplomacy was back on track, and Australia’s place in the China conversation seemed more secure.
Yet, the substance of the trip felt all too familiar. Australia still showed itself primarily as a provider of hard commodities — especially iron ore — and of traditional agricultural exports like beef and wine. The Beijing roundtable was dominated by miners and steel executives; innovation barely registered in the optics.
English (Australia) 
