Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Trade) Share this | Hansard source

Mr Christensen is one of many coalition MPs who I have spoken to during the course of this year about Australia's trade and the opportunities in terms of ensuring that we continue to get the perspective right of holding a calm and steady hand in all aspects of our relationship and how we deal with China. This is not a relationship in which we want to see politics played in any sphere, and nor do we want to see that occur in relation to any of our international relationships. That is crucial right across the board. It's a message that applies to anybody, on all sides of the chamber or the crossbench, in that regard—that in relation to our international relationships it is important that we hold to a firm and steady approach in all of the different aspects of the policies that we have to deal with on the international stage.