Coalition boasts of tough line on China but documents reveal private fears on trade

Scott Morrison told parliament his government would ‘continue to stand up for Australia’s values in the face of threats and coercion’. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

The Coalition has ramped up its pre-election attack on Labor over national security, while new documents show how concerned the Australian government was about China’s widening trade bans as the diplomatic relationship soured.

At the height of the tensions, coal industry figures told the Australian government Beijing’s ban on supply from Australia was fuelling “elevated uncertainty”, especially because it was unclear how long the disruption would last.