Australia-China Trade Rebalancing as Industrial Imports Outpace Commodity Exports
With commodity exports down from 2021, faster growth in machinery, electronics and transport imports has narrowed Australia’s trade surplus.
With commodity exports down from 2021, faster growth in machinery, electronics and transport imports has narrowed Australia’s trade surplus.
Freight volumes suggest stable conditions in industrial and domestic demand rather than a cyclical upswing.
Copper and lithium led output gains in 2025, while the top three producers still control 70-90% of most key metals.
Imports have stabilised around USD 2.6 trillion, signalling softer domestic demand and a continued tilt toward commodity-intensive sourcing.
The Philippines is ASEAN’s most domestically anchored growth platform, combining demographic depth with diversified external exposure.
Exports remain anchored in machinery and higher-value manufacturing, while trade flows have reoriented toward Asia and diversification partners.
Diversified global trade exposure, strong manufacturing intensity and rising FDI underpin resilient growth with lower volatility than many regional peers.
While PMI remained cautious and marginally contractionary, steady export demand and resilient output kept manufacturing on a modest but stable growth path.
Retail sales improved marginally year-on-year, supported by resilient online spending and stronger rural consumption.
Real GDP growth varies widely across Asia despite broadly similar population dynamics.