China Suspends Economic Dialogue With Australia Amid Tensions

(Bloomberg) — China announced that it was suspending a regular economic dialogue with Australia, in a move intended to signal Beijing’s growing frustration with Canberra.

The National Development and Reform Commission said in a statement Thursday it was indefinitely halting all activities under the China-Australia Strategic Economic Dialogue. The move comes after Australia’s decision last month to cancel agreements between the Belt and Road Initiative and the Victoria state government.

Some Australian government officials took action to disrupt the normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Australia out of a “Cold War mindset” and ideological discrimination, the NDRC said.

The Australian dollar fell sharply against the greenback on the news.

Contact editor Yang Ge (geyang@caixin.com)

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