#谁在有意将俄乌冲突长期化 #
Australia's Ministry of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources said energy prices would remain high due to the impact of Western sanctions on Russian energy exports, raising expectations for Australian resources and energy exports this and next fiscal years. Exports are currently expected to reach a record $425 billion ($319 billion) in fiscal 2022 through June 30, up 12 percent from last December's forecast, the division said.
Australia is rich in mineral resources, oil and natural gas, with more than 70 kinds of mineral resources, and is known as a "country sitting on a mining cart". Its bauxite is about 3.1 billion tons, the reserves rank first in the world, accounting for 35% of the world's total reserves, and other proven mineral reserves with economic mining value: iron ore 15.3 billion tons, bituminous coal 511 billion tons, lignite 411 billion tons, lead 17.2 million tons, nickel 9 million tons, silver 40600 tons, tantalum 18000 tons, zinc 34 million tons, uranium 610,000 tons, gold 4404 tons. Australia's crude oil reserves are 240 billion liters, natural gas reserves are 1.36 trillion cubic meters, and liquefied petroleum gas reserves are 174 billion liters.
Australia is also the world's leading producer of resources, is the world's largest producer of bauxite, alumina, diamonds, lead, tantalum and other metal minerals, and its production of gold, iron ore, coal, lithium, manganese ore, nickel, silver, uranium, zinc and so on is also at the forefront of the world.
Australia produces resources that are mainly exported and is the world's largest exporter of bituminous coal, bauxite, lead, diamonds, zinc and concentrates, the second largest exporter of alumina, iron ore and uranium, and the third largest exporter of aluminium and gold.
Australia is also "a country on the back of a sheep" and is the world's fourth-largest exporter of agricultural products. With nearly 150 million sheep, Australia has the largest number of sheep in the world and the largest wool exporter. Australia is also a major producer and exporter of beef, wheat, sugar and dairy products.
So let's look at another piece of news: Australia announced on April 1 that it would abolish the most-favored-nation treatment for Russia and Belarus and impose a 35% tariff on all goods imported from both countries, effective April 25.
Looking at the two pieces of information together, it is not difficult to explain why Austria is so aggressive in sanctioning Russia, which strikes at Russia's resource exports and raises the price of resources, which is beneficial and harmless to resource-rich Australia. Why Australia "jumped a little happily" in this Russian-Ukrainian conflict is all interests!