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Australia’s exports to China exceeded $100 billion in 2013
NEW trade and services data showing Australia’s goods and services exports to China exceeded $100 billion in 2013 highlights the Australian Government’s urgency in pursuing a Free Trade Agreement with the world’s second biggest economy.
China is now clearly Australia’s major trading partner, with two-way trade in goods and services with China surpassing $150 billion in 2013. 
The data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), combined with earlier ABS merchandise trade data, showed these two significant milestones with China were achieved in 2013 – and more good news was that Japan was Australia’s second largest export market, purchasing $50 billion in good and services.
Australia’s exports to China were valued more precisely at $102 billion in 2013, according to the ABS, an increase of $22 billion (28 percent) on 2012. China accounted for almost a third of Australia’s total goods and services exports.
Japan was our second largest export market followed by Republic of Korea ($21 billion), the United States ($16 billion) and India ($11 billion).
According to Trade Minister Andrew Robb, the Abbott Government’s successful conclusion of new bilateral trade agreements with both Korea and Japan and commitment to also quickly finalise an FTA with China, can help drive these trade and investment relationships to a new level.
Mr Robb said Australia’s two-way trade in goods and services with China was valued at $151 billion – up $25 billion or 20 percent on last year. China accounted for almost one quarter of Australia’s total trade.
China was also Australia’s largest import source in 2013 with $49 billion (up 6 percent on last year), accounting for 15 percent of total imports.
Australia’s next largest import markets were the US ($39 billion), Japan ($21 billion), Singapore ($18 billion), and Thailand ($14 billion).
The ABS services trade release shows the US was Australia’s largest two-way services trading partner ($18 billion) in 2013, followed by the UK ($10 billion) and China ($9 billion).
China was Australia’s major services export market for services with $7 billion in 2013, up nine percent and mainly driven by travel services. Education-related travel services were $4 billion and recreational travel services were $2 billion in 2013.
The US was Australia’s major import source for services with $12 billion in 2013, up 14 percent.
Mr Robb said Australia has an enviable reputation across a wide array of services and opening up new opportunities for our services exporters in major emerging markets in the Asia Pacific is a particular focus of this government.
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