China trade ‘never stronger’, says Scott Morrison

Scott Morrison has declared Australia’s trade with China ‘has never been stronger’.

Scott Morrison has declared Australia’s trade with China “has never been stronger”, describing the economic relationship with Beijing as “mutually beneficial”.

The Prime Minister — who confirmed China was not “connecting with us at the moment” — said the communist nation was “buying more than they ever have”.

On the back of surging iron ore prices, fuelled by demand from China, the trade performance between the nations ­remained strong, Mr Morrison said.

“The facts on the ground are they’re buying more than they ever have. Because it’s a mutually beneficial relationship,” he told A Current Affair.

“Australia’s products, Australia’s reliability, Australia’s performance is what drives the trade. You trade with people who you know are going to give you a good product and the right price.

“That’s what will drive it. That’s what’s always driven it. There’s always noise around all of these things. People rush to conclusions. The facts on the ground are … our trading performance with China has never been stronger.”

On relations with China, which have been strained over the government’s pursuit of an independent inquiry into the ­origins of COVID-19 and heightened awareness over foreign ­interference, Mr Morrison said it would concern him if Australia didn’t “stand up for ourselves”.

“It would worry me if Australia had in any way not acted consistently with who we are,” he said.