Tensions are rising between Canberra and Beijing after two Australian journalists feared for their safety and were forced to flee the country following midnight raids from state officials.

The worsening relationship between Australia and it’s largest trading partner raises serious questions over the viability of future business arrangements and the safety of Australians travelling to mainland China.

Calls to decouple from China are gaining traction around the world as countries seek to reduce their economic reliance on an increasingly hostile trading entity.

Former trade minister Dr Craig Emerson says the idea of decoupling our trading ties with China is “stupid,”

“I hear these glib statements saying ‘let’s diversify, let’s get some other people to buy our exports’ well, they’ll buy them if they want them and if the price is right, but we’ll have a few hundred million tonnes of iron ore spare,

“The idea that we can just turn off the tap and sell our beef, and our wine, and our tourism attractions to all the other countries is just a really stupid, silly idea.”

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