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Australian PM urges opposition to rethink its position on China-Australia FTA

Xinhua, September 23, 2015 Adjust font size:

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has urged the opposition to rethink its position on the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA).

The Labor Party has been vocal in its opposition to the deal, saying Australian jobs, conditions and pay will all be negatively affected, despite government assurances this wouldn't be the case.

On Wednesday, Turnbull turned up the heat on Opposition Leader Bill Shorten in an interview with Sky News, accusing the opposition of "singling China out" and challenging Shorten to put forward a compromise proposal for the ChAFTA.

"We're obviously open to talking to them," Turnbull said. "They have made no specific proposals."

Turnbull said, "This is an agreement that opens up all Australian businesses to the world's largest single economy. It is an absolutely fundamental building block for our prosperity."

The prime minister also slammed a series of anti-ChAFTA advertisements put out by the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union.

A government review on the conditions of the free trade agreement is set to be handed down to Parliament on October 12. Endi