Author: Zhanhu Express
According to a recent report by US Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC), data shows that China has cleared its backlog of Australian imported coal inventories. However, analysts pointed out that even if China-Australia relations improve, China is unlikely to buy more Australian coal in the short term due to China's ample coal stocks and declining demand. CNBC reported that after the deterioration of China-Australia relations in 2020, China has not further imported Australian coal, which has also led to the detention and backlog of some coal inventories shipped to China. In 2021, due to reasons such as coal supply exceeding demand, China experienced power cuts and blackouts in many places, and the stranded Australian coal began to be cleared. The cleanup work has now been completed.
After China cleared Australia’s coal inventory, Australia stated that they were still willing to export coal to China. Obviously, Australia is not willing to give up the huge market of China. After all, Australia is rich in mineral resources and is the world's largest coal exporter. Coal was once Australia's third largest export commodity to China. In 2019, its trade value exceeded 14 billion Australian dollars (approximately 63.8 billion yuan). But since it has continued to attack and smear China, the coal trade between the two sides has dropped to a freezing point. Although Australia is also actively looking for new buyers internationally, it is not easy to find a country with a market as big as China. Now that China has cleared its inventory, Australia feels that an opportunity has come and wants to export.
In response, China refused without any hesitation. Not to mention that our demand for coal is declining, but we still need a lot of coal. China has also found alternative countries, such as buying from Indonesia and Mongolia, and it can also buy coal from countries such as Colombia, South Africa and Russia. Therefore, Australian coal is not a necessity for China. China’s coal leaving Australia can still find sellers from around the world, thus ensuring its domestic demand. In recent times, Australia has repeatedly expressed goodwill to China and has also held relevant talks with China. It is estimated that they want to resume related trade, but China has a full understanding of Australia and knows that this country always talks one thing and does another behind its back. Therefore, China has given Australia a relevant warning, that is, if it wants to ease relations, it must take practical actions, and it is useless to talk.
Australia is simply shooting itself in the foot. Trade between China and Australia is extremely frequent, and the cooperation model between the two countries can be said to be mutually beneficial and win-win, promoting the economic development and progress of both countries. However, Australia does not know how to cherish it, and is willing to act as the "stooge" of the United States, actively carry out various "anti-China" actions, and also follow the United States in dictating China's internal affairs. Recently, its military planes also flew near China to show off their power, but were intercepted and driven away by the People's Liberation Army. This shows Australia's hostile attitude towards China. Faced with such an Australia, China will naturally no longer be friendly to it, nor will it allow it to make China's money while throwing China's blame.
In the competition between China and Australia in recent years, Australian coal is not the only product that has lost the Chinese market. Its crayfish, wheat , wine, beef and other products have also been greatly affected. Now that Australia is aware of the inconvenience and losses caused by offending China, it begins to want to continue exporting. However, if you want to export, you must first ask whether China will agree. Now the answer is obvious, China is unlikely to buy more Australian coal. The reason for this is that on the one hand, Australia still stands on the "anti-China" stance. The Rim of the Pacific military exercise that just started a few days ago is clearly aimed at China, and Australia actively participated; at the NATO summit, Australia also jumped up and down, constantly promoting "China threat". In the South Pacific, Australia has threatened and intimidated island countries that are friendly to China to force them to cut off exchanges with China. All these show that Australia has refused to change despite repeated admonitions, and there is no hope of improvement in China-Australia relations in the short term.
Therefore, it is impossible to repurchase Australian coal, and restrictions on Australian products may even be increased. After all, it still firmly stands in the "anti-China" camp. Under such circumstances, it is inevitable for China to strengthen countermeasures. Since Australia has made such a choice, it must bear the corresponding price.
