Canberra, China, and Trade

http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Beijing's-failed-'trade-war'-against-Canberra-54240.html

There's another way to frame Beijing's turn with regard to Australia and issues of trade. It can be viewed as a failed boycott and in a sense it was. On the other hand, Beijing is watching Canberra cozy up to the United States as exemplified by the recent AUKUS agreement. It's easier for Australia to enter into an anti-Beijing alliance when China is not deeply entangled with its markets. And China's demand for Australian coal is no light thing.

If Beijing renews the trade and there's deep investment in Australia's export economy, Canberra is less likely to pursue a bath of belligerence even as Washington pressures them to do so. The stick didn't work, so Beijing is going to turn back to the carrot. At this point what do they have to lose? While it would make bad press in a Western context, it may in fact prove to be a clever move – certainly one that is trying to think several steps ahead.

One thing I'm curious about (and I've seen very little written about it) is the fact that Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison who hails from the Right-wing of Australia's Centre-Right Liberal Party (LP) is a Pentecostal Christian. I cannot help but wonder what doors and back-channels that may have opened with the American Evangelical community – and its own substantial presence in the Pentagon. Was it just coincidence that Australia's first Pentecostal political leader is the man who finally made 'the turn' and fully embraced Washington's Anti-Beijing agenda?