Australia Declines China’s Offer to Collaborate on U.S. Tariffs

Australia has declined an appeal from China to unite against US President Donald Trump’s sweeping trade tariffs, choosing instead to prioritize its own national interests.

Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian urged Australia to resist what he described as Washington’s “bullying behavior,” after Trump slapped a 10% import tax on Australian goods and a much steeper 125% tariff on Chinese products. In an opinion piece, Xiao argued joint resistance was the “only way” to stop the US, warning that failure to do so could drag the global economy into chaos.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese dismissed the suggestion, emphasizing Australia’s independent stance. “We’ll speak for ourselves,” he said. Defence Minister Richard Marles reinforced the message, stating, “We are not holding China’s hand.”

While Australia is frustrated by the tariffs, it has opted for negotiation over retaliation. Albanese acknowledged China’s importance as a trading partner but said the government was actively seeking alternative export markets beyond the US.

Australian ministers have been meeting with counterparts from Japan, India, South Korea, and the UK to diversify trade and reduce reliance on both the US and China.

Meanwhile, Trump has announced a temporary 90-day pause on the new tariffs for most countries, but China remains excluded and will face additional penalties after retaliating with its own 84% counter-tariffs.