Will a China FTA deliver as promised?

Sunday 16 November 2014

The media is awash today with glowing reports that Australia and China are about to conclude a “free trade agreement” (FTA) that would reportedly deliver $18 billion of benefits over a decade.

As reported in The Australian, some 85% of all Australian exports will enter China tariff-free immediately, which is expected to rise to 93% within four years and 95% when the deal is fully in force in more than a decade.

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About the author

Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness. Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.