Australia has rejected an appeal from China to unite against sweeping tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump. On Thursday, Chinese ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian called for a joint front between Beijing and Canberra to counter what he described as “hegemonic and bullying behaviour” by the United States.

The appeal came after Washington raised tariffs to 125% on Chinese imports and introduced a 10% import tax on Australian goods.

According to the BBC, the Australian government will not align with Beijing in finding a solution to US tariffs. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese insisted that Australia would chart its own course in response to global economic pressures. 

“Australians will speak for ourselves,” he told reporters.

Defense Minister Richard Marles supported the sentiment, saying, “We will not be holding China’s hand.” He added that Australia will prioritize its national interest over forming alliances based on shared grievances with China.

Australia among the troubled nations of a Trump trade war barrage

Late Wednesday, Donald Trump announced a sudden 90-day pause on tariffs for most countries previously affected, reducing them to 10% in the interim. The exception was China, which saw tariffs climb even higher after Beijing announced retaliatory duties of 84% on US goods earlier on the same day.

Australia is deeply frustrated over being targeted despite maintaining a trade surplus with the United States and having no “significant barriers” against American products, bar pork and beef. 

Dutton let Angus Taylor talk for too long, and he was off with the fairies on reciprocal tariffs.

When the media asked why he'd do that, Angus dribbles about China & Europe.

Does the idiot know he's in Australia? If he wants to live in the US he can do us a favour and piss off. pic.twitter.com/8EILXKnDMG

— Squizz (@SquizzSTK) April 8, 2025

Yet, unlike China, Canberra has chosen not to retaliate. Instead, officials say they will negotiate with the White House in hopes of coming to a diplomatic understanding.

“We want to resolve this through dialogue,” Albanese said, although he insisted that Australia needs to diversify its trade relationships. “80% of trade does not involve the United States. There are opportunities for Australia, and we intend to seize them.”

Ambassador Xiao had publicly called for Australia’s support, which was published in Australia’s Nine Newspapers. He claimed that America had “weaponized” trade policy for geopolitical gain and that failure to resist Washington’s strategy could destabilize the global economy.

“A weak compromise will enable Trump to sabotage the international order and drag the world economy into a quagmire,” Xiao wrote. 

The ambassador lauded the “long-standing cooperation” between China and Australia and suggested they should now “safeguard a fair and free trading environment” together.

However, Australian leaders dismissed the proposal, with Defense Minister Marles stating that the country wants to build trade links away from China with other regional and global partners to increase “economic resilience.”

Among the countries Australia targets for deeper economic ties are Indonesia, India, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates. In recent days, Trade Minister Don Farrell has also held high-level meetings with counterparts in Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and India.

US Democratic Senators: Australia did not deserve tariffs

On domestic grounds, in a Senate hearing Tuesday, Liberal Senator Mark Warner grilled US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, questioning the rationale for punishing Australia.

“We have a free trade agreement with Australia. We don’t have tariffs. We even have a trade surplus with Australia. So, Ambassador Greer, can you explain to me how it helps America’s trading balance when we have, and I loved your fancy Greek formula, which was basically bad math on steroids, how, with the trade surplus, with this strong relationship, Australia got hit with a 10% tariff as well?” he asked. 

Greer responded by pointing to the $1.2 trillion US deficit inherited from President Joe Biden’s administration, saying the aim was to “run up the score in Australia.” 

Warner was unconvinced, telling the Trade Rep he was “much smarter than the answer he gave.” 

“We are whacking friend and foe alike. It undermines our security and makes us not a good partner going forward,” he concluded.

Economist and columnist for Australian news publication AFR Steven Hamilton posted on social media platform X that the US tariffs were applied even though Australia has “zero trade barriers” against American goods.

I repeat: the US has a TRADE SURPLUS with Australia and there are zero Australian trade barriers against American goods and he still slapped a 10% tariff on them. https://t.co/V0CQpOhqv3

— Steven Hamilton (@SHamiltonian) April 7, 2025

Moreover, Australian YouTube streamer Mathew Judge, a content creator known for his contribution to Grand Theft Auto V speedrunning, slated the US for treating Australia like “their dog” with relatively low levels of mutual trade.

“We hurt our interests dozens of times to maintain the connection to America,” he wrote. “These tariffs, in violation of our trade agreement, have collectively caused the entire country to finally say ‘fuck America.’”

Judge claimed that Australia will now find new allies and minimize involvement with the United States. 

“Everyone will now prefer any alternative that isn’t America,” he said, adding that US foreign policy appears “designed by its enemies and implemented by a traitor.”

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