Australia's relations with its biggest trading partner China has gone through a downward spiral in recent years. Previous prime ministers made the country the first to formally ban Huawei equipment from its 5G network and barred foreign political donations over concerns of Chinese influence. Relations hit a low point when the Australian government, under then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison, called for an investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 virus.
Beijing's reaction was also heavy-handed: It imposed tariffs and blocked imports on a range of Australian goods, like wine, barley and coal.
