China suspends Australia economic dialogue 'indefinitely'

The state economic planner said on Thursday it has "indefinitely" suspended all activities under the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue.

"Recently, some Australian Commonwealth Government officials launched a series of measures to disrupt the normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Australia out of Cold War mindset and ideological discrimination," the National Development and Reform Commission said in a statement explaining the decision.

The last meeting under the mechanism, intended as a framework for economic cooperation, was in Beijing in 2017.

Relations between China and Australia deteriorated last year after Canberra called for an international inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus disease, prompting trade reprisals from Beijing.

Australia in April cancelled two deals struck by its state of Victoria with China on Beijing's flagship Belt and Road Initiative, prompting the Chinese embassy in Canberra to warn that already tense bilateral ties were bound to worsen.

Reuters reported this week that Australia is reviewing the 99-year lease of a port in the country's north to a Chineseo company Landbridge, according to a government source.

In 2013, China and Australia held the first annual meeting between premiers and agreed to set up a Strategic Economic Dialogue, when the then Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard visited Beijing. Premier Li Keqiang met with her in the Great Hall of the People.-Reuters/The Standard