Sophisticated diplomacy and careful rhetoric are vital in managing the rift in an Australia-China relationship that has seriously deteriorated and is only becoming worse.

What is obvious is that Chinese authorities will also be careful to protect their own national economic interest in picking their targets.
So Australias iron ore exports continue to boom because they are so vital to the Chinese economy particularly given problems obtaining reliable supply from the main alternative source country, Brazil.
Its more discretionary areas of trade where China does have alternatives that will make the nation’s exporters and the Morrison government apprehensive.
Australia already faces hard, overdue choices on how universities can replace the Chinese student income they relied upon to sustain large budgets and research rankings, for example. But these are largely made-in- Australia problems built up over many years.
A range of companies are likely to pay a high cost for Australias version of commonsense diplomacy.
The risk to our exports is driven by Chinas political whims. It is always possible there can be a relatively quick resolution of the minor technical breaches affecting four Australian meat-processing plants, as the Trade Minister suggests.
Just as its possible that Australian barley growers will persuade China over the next week they should not be slugged with new duties of 73.6 per cent, due to alleged government subsidies of their production costs. Possible but hardly likely.
Australia is hardly the innocent bystander in tariff wars. Despite its free trade rhetoric, it has been determined to protect the survival of its domestic steel and aluminium industries by the liberal use of anti-dumping provisions to levy duties on Chinese exports.
Worry for exporters
Beijing will rely on its own inquiries. But it can also quote awkward reviews by the Productivity Commission describing Australia as one of the most prolific users of anti-dumping measures in the world and denying there is any convincing justification for the measures on Chinese steel and aluminium.
Other Australian export sectors, ranging from wine to seafood, will worry they could become another step in this escalation.
Not that it is in the Morrison governments interest to now concede its decision to take an international lead in calling for an independent inquiry is other than common sense.
But a range of companies are likely to pay a high cost for Australias version of commonsense diplomacy, despite the official reluctance to acknowledge it.
Canberra could not ignominiously retreat in the face of the subsequent Chinese threats even if it wanted to which it doesnt. Nor will China have any inclination to back away from provocative actions as it asserts its power economically, militarily and politically.
That includes threatening and challenging any criticism of its behaviour with Australia’s rhetoric especially useful as it can become a proxy for Chinas bigger struggle with the US but without carrying the same risks.
The trade payback could hardly have come as a surprise.
The bilateral diplomatic framework, under strain during the Rudd prime ministership, became badly fractured again during the Turnbull era. But suggestions this break could be even partially repaired disappeared after Huawei was banned from involvement in the National Broadband Network.
Tweets on the sidelines don’t help
Australia also rejected the invitation to sign on to Chinas One Belt, One Road infrastructure initiative as the extent of Chinas strategic ambitions in the region, including its militarisation of the South China Sea, became starkly clear.
Management of a complicated, increasingly fraught relationship requires sophisticated diplomatic footwork to avoid unnecessary stumbles. Careful rhetoric is essential.
But after making the original announcement about Australias call for an inquiry on Sunday television, Foreign Minister Marise Payne largely reverted to her usual disappearing act, leaving it to Scott Morrison and other senior ministers to prosecute the case.
It doesnt help that Liberal backbenchers such as Andrew Hastie are freelancing with their own tweets condemning Chinas authoritarian regime and demanding Australians stand up for their sovereignty.
Depending on its political inclinations, China often chooses to use such comments to ratchet up the level of patriotic offence on behalf of its own citizens.
Australias ability to juggle the inherent contradictions in all this is harder still given a volatile Trump administration.
Its not just that a US President fighting for re-election in November is increasingly desperate to blame China for a health disaster and the economic devastation wrecking his boast of making American great again.
Trumps narcissistic personality also means he has zero interest in trying to calm tensions or balance competing or wider interests, including those affecting Americas closest allies.
Morrison deliberately singled out the magnificent patriotic contribution of Chinese Australians during his speech to the party room on Tuesday. But he knows the anti-China mood in Australia is only getting stronger as it is in the US. So is the cost.