Trade Tensions Rise: Australia's Pursuit of Tariff Exemption

Australian PM Anthony Albanese condemned US tariffs on Australian steel and aluminum as unjustified. Despite the unfair levy, he affirmed Australia will not retaliate. US tariffs stand at 25%. Tariff tensions reignite following former PM Turnbull's critical remarks on US-China relations.

In a strong stance against US trade policies, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese labeled the recent US tariffs on Australian steel and aluminum as unjustified while signaling no plans for retaliatory tariffs.

The US, under former President Donald Trump, had previously considered tariff exemptions for Australia; a free trade partner running at a trade deficit with the US for years. However, diplomatic strains have resurfaced, with the tariffs now officially set at 25%, and Albanese determined to seek an exemption akin to the one former leader Malcolm Turnbull secured in 2018.

The situation intensified following Turnbull's public critique of Trump's leadership, arguing it empowered China. The ongoing discord underscores regional trade complexities with potential global economic implications.

(With inputs from agencies.)