From The Australian:
China is using Australia’s refusal to ratify the Kyoto agreement as diplomatic leverage as it faces increasing pressure to step up efforts to tackle climate change, Kevin Rudd has warned.
Using a breakfast speech to The Global Foundation’s Australia Unlimited Roundtable to set out his vision for the future of Australia, the Opposition Leader made no bones about his view of the importance of China, and this country’s dependence on its booming economy.
“Something very big, very big indeed is happening on our doorstep. It’s happening on the world’s doorstep and it’s called the rise of China,” he told the conference in Melbourne’s Town Hall.
“China’s insatiable demand for our resource exports has driven record commodity prices, our best terms of trade in a generation and continued economic growth.
“As a result, we have grown increasingly dependent on the Chinese boom for our prosperity … but if China’s growth slows, and if global commodities markets fall, we could be in for a bumpy ride.” [Full Text]
