China-Australia relations: bans on Australian imports ‘beginning to bite’ as commodity exports fall
- Australia’s overall exports, including those to China, rose slightly in November but iron ore and coal exports to China both fell
- Coal exports, which has been unofficially banned by China, fell to their weakest level since 2016, with total exports to China down 6.4 per cent compared to a year earlier
Australia’s major commodity exports to China sank in November as Beijing’s trade restrictions hit home, although the impact of the slowdown was cushioned by redirected sales to other countries.
Australia’s overall exports, including those to China, rose slightly in November as a result of an increase in non-volatile gold exports, but iron ore and coal exports to China both fell 2.2 per cent and 3.6 per cent, respectively, compared to October.
The underperformance of [coal] exports to China underlines that Chinese restrictions on Australian imports are beginning to bite
Analysts have indicated inclement weather particularly with Australia going into cyclone season could have affected lower shipments in October and November.
“The underperformance of [coal] exports to China underlines that Chinese restrictions on Australian imports are beginning to bite,” he said.
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Will iron ore be dragged into the ongoing China-Australia trade conflict?
Total exports to China fell 6.4 per cent compared to a year earlier, while exports to the rest of the world fell 2.6 per cent.