Press reset: can the Morrison government rebuild bridges with China – or is it too late?

Despite a near record total of export goods to China last year, there are fears rocky relations between the two countries have yet to hit bottom

If anyone was hoping for a breakthrough in the relationship between Australia and China in 2021, the signs are not good. The year has started much as 2020 ended, with dozens of ships carrying Australian coal still stranded off the Chinese coast and with Beijing accusing Canberra of weaponising" national security by blocking an investment proposal.

While the Morrison government is bracing for a protracted standoff with Australia's largest trading partner in what officials call strategic patience", there are fresh questions as to whether Canberra has a comprehensive plan for managing the relationship with an increasingly assertive and powerful China.