Australian election 2025: Albanese’s huge call on Trump tariffs

Anthony Albanese says Australia is committed to negotiating with Donald Trump on tariffs, but rebuffed China’s offer to “hold hands” in fighting against the measures.

Anthony Albanese says Australia will “speak for ourselves” as he vowed to pursue a tariff of “zero” from Donald Trump, rebuffing an offer from China to “join hands” with Beijing in the tariff war.

The surprise offer from China on Thursday follows a turbulent week on the world stage after the US President made his sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs announcement, causing chaos on global markets.

Australia was one of the few countries to escape lightly, with just the baseline 10 per cent.

But China – Australia’s largest trading partner accounting for 26 per cent of our goods and services – was hit with one of the highest levels of 54 per cent.

Anthony Albanese says Australia would continue to pursue a “zero” tariff deal from US President Donald Trump. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

President Trump went even harder on China overnight imposing a tariff of 125 per cent after Beijing retaliated, while pausing all other tariffs for 90 days.

China has offered to “join hands” in light of the global uncertainty produced by the US President’s unprecedented tariffs.

“Under the circumstances, China stands ready to join hands with Australia and the international community to jointly respond to the changes of the world,” China’s ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian told Nine Newspapers.

Asked about the offer from China, which finally ended its trade war against Canberra last year, Mr Albanese said Australia would continue its own negotiations.

“What will do we will speak for ourselves and speak for ourselves,” Mr Albanese said.

“Australia’s position is that free and fair trade is a good thing.”

Chinese President Xi Jinping has retaliated against Donald Trump’s tariffs on Beijing. Picture: Ken Ishii/ Pool/Getty Images

President Donald Trump overnight paused most tariffs for 90 days but hiked China’s to 125 per cent. (Pool via AP)

The trade war has put the Prime Minister in a peculiar position on the eve of the election, and it distracted from his campaign message on Thursday.

Mr Albanese says Australia had received the best deal at 10 per cent.

Asked on Thursday if he still thought that was the case, Mr Albanese said: “the best deal is zero”

“That’s what we are continuing to put forward, very strongly, using every avenue at our disposal,” he told reporters on Green Island in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

“The changes have occurred from day to day, what they emphasise is the need for a considered calibrated, clear position when negotiating over these international issues, including with the Trump administration.”

Regardless, he said, he wanted to work to expand Australia’s trade with other nations, including China.

Anthony Albanese was again grilled on the Trump tariffs while campaigning in Far North Queensland. Picture: Jason Edwards / NewsWire

Later, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton would not directly answer as to whether Australia should accept China’s offer.

“Australia should have a strong trading relationship with China, it’s in our mutual interests,” he told reporters in Melbourne.

“I believe that we can work very closely with China on building our trading relationship and have a respectful relationship with China.

“As a country, we have to stand up for our interests and we can’t do that with a weak Prime Minister who’s having his strings pulled by a junior Coalition partner in Adam Bandt, a radical who would spend money on everything but defence.”

Mr Albanese has criticised the Opposition’s approach to the tariff issue.

Meanwhile, he would not confirm if he had put in a request to speak to President Trump directly or if Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles would be part of a potential envoy to the US alongside Treasurer Jim Chalmers should they win re-election.