BEIJING, April 22, Global Times - Australia has essentially fired a major shot in what could lead up to a potential trade conflict with China and could face serious consequences for its "unreasonable provocation" against China, Chinese experts said on Wednesday after Canberra moved to use what has been viewed as an anti-China law to revoke agreements signed between Victoria state and China on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
By tearing up the agreements, Australia's federal government is not only going over its head to provoke China but also stepping over its state jurisdiction for its own political interests which could be a serious blow to both federal and local economies, observers said.