Economics

Investment from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in Australia continues to be a topic of concern for many Australians. Polling data in 2019 showed that 68 percent of respondents thought that the Australian government is ‘allowing too much investment’ from the PRC.[1] This factsheet provides an update on the current state of play of PRC investment in Australia.

In the mid-2000s Australia had delivered a China-led mining boom that continues today. Last year UTS:ACRI researchers drew attention to scientific knowledge being another space where a China boom was unfolding for Australia.

A May 2020 report published by the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney pointed to demand from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) – underpinned by deep economic complementarities and purchasing power – as the chief drivers of growth in Australian exports.[1] This extends to South Australia, with a prominent example of this being rapid growth in PRC consumer demand for South Australian wine.

By James Laurenceson

Note: This article appeared in Pearls and Irritations, a public affairs blog, on June 30 2020.

Fears amongst the Australian public of China buying up the country run deep. Opportunistic politicians and commentators have long shown a willingness to tap into this unease to boost their own following.

By James Laurenceson

Note: This article appeared in the Australian Institute of International Affairs’ blog, Australian Outlook, on June 5 2020.

When Australian trade with China is disrupted, commentary quickly gravitates towards the frame of economic coercion. With such deeply intertwined trade relations, coercion is, in reality, only one possible cause.

With continuous growth, the global LNG market is becoming increasingly competitive over time, and Australia is at the forefront. This paper makes the first attempt to analyse the dynamics of Australia's LNG export performance, using an improved Constant Market Share (CMS) model and UN Comtrade LNG trade data in four sub-periods spanning 1989 to 2017.

By James Laurenceson

Note: This article appeared in The Sydney Morning Herald on May 28 2020.

By Xunpeng Shi

Note: This article appeared in the Asia & the Pacific Policy Society’s blog, Policy Forum, on May 25 2020. It has been lightly edited for clarity.

By James Laurenceson

Note: This article appeared in the print edition of The Australian Financial Review on May 21 2020. It also appeared online on May 20 2020.

Australian business leaders talking up the benefits of economic engagement with China have been copping a belting.

Executive Summary