ASX Today, page-42465

When I read your comments, I wonder what you think about China using it's trade with other countries as a weapon to press its agenda on human rights etc when there's criticism from another country. I'm not saying Australia has a pristine human rights record, but when it comes to trade, Australia practises what it preaches as a free trade nation. Conversely, China simply places restrictions on imports of things like wine, thermal coal, crayfish and barley as it pleases.

It won't happen, but if Australia simply put a quota on iron ore exports to China that reduced that trade by 50%, it would cripple the Chinese economy in a few months and prices of seaborne iron ore would skyrocket. This is not how fair trading nations act and calling that type of behaviour out is totally justified imo.

regards
DF