Australia’s Sinophile Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Friday urged on China - the country’s largest trading partner - to conclude a stalled free trade deal, using his first news conference since regaining power to praise the current bilateral relationship.
Rudd, a former diplomat who speaks fluent Putonghua, said China’s concerns that its farm industry could be hurt by a free trade pact with Canberra were unfounded given the size of Australia’s agricultural output.
Australia and China began free trade talks in 2005, but the negotiations have stalled over Beijing’s concerns over opening their markets to Australian food, while Australia wants China to do more to protect intellectual property. The 19th round of talks was held earlier this month.
“This thing has been moving across the Sahara at the pace of a slightly lame camel,” Rudd said, two days after reclaiming the prime ministership from Julia Gillard.
“I’d say to our friends in Beijing, let us conclude a free trade agreement between China and Australia.”
Rudd said China had no need to worry about the impact of agricultural imports on its vast rural territory, as Australia’s total farm production would only meet the extra expected demand from a single Chinese province.
Australia is the world’s second largest wheat exporter and third largest exporter of beef and raw sugar, with agricultural exports worth around US$33.40 billion a year. Bilateral yearly trade between Australia and China is worth around A$120 billion.
