China and Australia hold the third meeting of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) Joint Committee via video link on July 24, 2025. Photo: MOFCOM

China and Australia held the third meeting of the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) Joint Committee via video link on Thursday, co-chaired by China's Vice Minister of Commerce, Yan Dong, and Australia's Deputy Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, George Mina, according to China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) on Friday.

During the meeting, both sides agreed that the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries provides strategic guidance for further deepening bilateral economic and trade cooperation. They highly commended the fruitful outcomes achieved over the past decade since the implementation of ChAFTA, recognizing the agreement as an important mechanism for advancing bilateral economic and trade relations. 

Both sides also expressed commitment to openness and cooperation, as well as upholding multilateralism and free trade, and pledged to take the 10th anniversary of ChAFTA as an opportunity to deepen and expand mutually beneficial cooperation, further unlock the potential of the agreement, and continuously enhance trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, according to the MOFCOM.

The meeting heard reports from committees on goods trade, services trade, and intellectual property, and reviewed the implementation of the agreement across various fields since its entry into force.

Discussions were also held on implementing the memorandum of understanding concerning the implementation and review of ChAFTA. Both sides agreed to advance the review process to identify areas for improvement or expansion and made corresponding work arrangements, said the MOFCOM. Both sides also exchanged views on respective trade and investment concerns.

ChAFTA entered into force on December 20, 2015. 

Australia's trade and prosperity received a boost by its decade-old free trade agreement with China and Australian public support for it remains strong, according to a recent analysis, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

When the ChAFTA was signed in June 2015, the Australian government and business groups lauded its trade and prosperity-creating potential, the analysis said, adding that data over the past decade has proven their prediction, the report said.

Global Times