Seems, while the USA's big enough to be making some headway with China, right now Australia's at the other end of China's pecking order and is getting a trading rap over the knuckles.
According to an article in this morning's 'Australian' China's a bit peed off with the attitude and disrespect it's been getting from Australia and it's officials and has decided to take umbrage and pull back on imports of coal, metals, foodstuffs and property investment and diminish the number of students who come here which will diminish the need for apartment accommodation for them and prohibit property investment in Australia.
While this is not all out trade war it's clear message from China that the 'minnow' has stepped over the line and needs to get a spanking.
None of this bears very well for the Australian companies that depend on China for their business.
Cleverly, the Kiwis seem to rise above all this stuff and could benefit from it. (IMO)
It's fun.
Excerpt...
'Accordingly, China’ s anger with Australia comes not so much from our dealings with the US nor our actual policies. Rather it’s the habit of Australian ministers and government officials to lecture the Chinese officials they meet.
And, apparently, sometimes our people even criticise China — in China. Former Prime Minister Rudd caused deep anger when he criticised China in Mandarin but while our recent in-country criticisms have not gone that far, we have culturally offended the Chinese.
The business people were told mid last year that a number of our universities would see a softness in Chinese enrolments during 2019. And, of course, that’s exactly what is happening.
Given that our universities depend on Chinese students, those universities that are being affected are very nervous and are asking “what’s happening!?” What they don’t know is that the Chinese had planned to boost student numbers in Canada.
The arrest of Huawei’s CFO may cause second thoughts.
For the moment we may be lucky.
Student demand for apartment rentals — vital to the income of those owning inner city apartments — has not been affected but the student softness would not want to escalate.
Large Chinese apartment developers have been told to sell their big land holdings but, so far, have not been willing to accept the big losses that would be crystalized by selling at this time.'
