THE FOOD ASPECT OF THE AUSTRALIA–CHINA TRADE DISPUTES

Abstract

Australia–China bilateral relations have been business oriented and pragmatic for at least 30 years. However, the period of 2019 – mid-2022 brought a more emotional political component to the interaction of the two countries. Contradictions began to accumulate between Australia and China, including those related to the vision of the future of the AsiaPacific, which subsequently turned into an urgent confrontation. Australian academic and political circles have long feared that China might take advantage of the status of the main Australia's trading partner and use the "trade punishment" measures amid growing diplomatic tensions between the two countries. The events of the past two years have made it possible to analyze these concerns in practice and determine the place of the food issue in Australia– China trade disputes. The provisions and conclusions presented in this article are based on official documents, news agency reports, as well as research by Asia-Pacific scientists.