China-Australia relations: bans on Australian imports ‘beginning to bite’ as commodity exports fall

Australia’s major commodity exports to China sank in November as Beijing’s trade restrictions hit home, although the impact of the slowdown was cushioned by redirected sales to other countries.

Australia’s overall exports, including those to China, rose slightly in November as a result of an increase in non-volatile gold exports, but iron ore and coal exports to China both fell 2.2 per cent and 3.6 per cent, respectively, compared to October.