Penny Wong urges China to prioritise fuel shipments to Australia
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The news: Foreign Minister Penny Wong has urged China to resume exports of jet fuel, petrol and fertiliser to Australia, in order to continue receiving supplies of iron ore and gas.
The context: During meetings with Chinese officials on Wednesday as part of a tour across Asia aimed at bolstering energy security for Australia, Wong said that Australia’s iron ore, food and gas exports to China are central to the region’s supply chains.
“I made the point that the inputs China supplies to Australia, including jet fuel, support the Australian resources sector, which in turn helps to maintain the flow of commodities that are so important in the bilateral trading relationship,” Wong told reporters after meetings with her counterpart Wang Yi .
The Australian reports that the talks have achieved a breakthrough, with Chinese state-owned oil companies engaging directly with Australian businesses on jet fuel sales, with oil major Sinopec reportedly coordinating the discussions.
In Wong’s opening remarks for her meeting with meeting with Han Zheng, Vice President of China, she said: “Obviously, the Middle East conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continue to disrupt global energy markets… In that context, it is more important than ever that we continue to engage and find ways to work together, to keep fuel and goods flowing. With China, Australia will continue to cooperate where we can, disagree where we must and engage in the national interest.”
Han said in his opening comments that China is ready to “follow through on an important consensus reached between our leaders.”
