On 17 June, Professor James Laurenceson, Director of the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney, spoke with China News Service during the 2025 Australia–China Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum in Melbourne, marking the 10th anniversary of the China–Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA).

Laurenceson highlighted that clean energy has become a key pillar of bilateral economic engagement. “When walking or driving around Sydney, I’ve noticed how common Chinese electric vehicles have become,” he said, attributing their rapid growth in Australia to the tariff reductions and trade liberalization brought by ChAFTA.

He pointed to the doubling of bilateral trade since the agreement’s implementation as a clear sign of its success delivering new growth opportunities for Australian agriculture, mining, and services. The 2025 Doing Business in China report by AustCham China further confirms this trajectory, identifying clean energy as a top priority sector for two-way trade and investment.

Laurenceson emphasized that Australia and China share strong complementarities in clean technologies, such as solar panels and electric vehicles. With growing global uncertainty and rising protectionism, he underscored the importance of constructive engagement. “Australia and China both remain firm supporters of globalization and free trade,” he said. “ChAFTA is a strong example of how this approach can deliver real economic benefits.”

Read the full interview with China News Service [link] to explore how clean energy is reshaping the future of Australia–China trade cooperation.