Editing Foreign relations of Australia (section)

==Trade==
{{See also|Free trade agreements of Australia}}
[[File:Map of countries with which Australia has free trade agreements.svg|thumb|{{Legend|#ff0000|Australia}}{{Legend|#00bf00ff|Free trade agreements in force}}|400x400px]]
Overall Australia's largest trading partners are the United States, South Korea, Japan, China, and the United Kingdom. Australia currently has bilateral [[Free Trade Agreement]]s with New Zealand, the United States, Thailand and Singapore as of 2007 and the United Kingdom as of 2021. As well as this, Australia is in the process undertaking studies on Free Trade Agreements with ASEAN, China, Chile, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
* [[Australia–Chile Free Trade Agreement]]
* [[Australia–China Free Trade Agreement]]
* [[Australia–Korea Free Trade Agreement]]
* [[Closer Economic Relations|Australia–New Zealand Closer Economic Relations Trade Agreement]]
* [[Australia–United States Free Trade Agreement]]
* [[Australia–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement]]
* Australia–Fiji Free Trade Agreement

===Armaments===

To bolster its foreign policy, Australia maintains a very well-equipped military.
According to [[SIPRI]], Australia is the eight largest importer of major weapons in the world. The US supplied 80 per cent of Australia's imports and Spain 15 per cent.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wezeman |first1=Pieter D. |last2=Djokic |first2=Katarina |last3=George |first3=Mathew |last4=Hussain |first4=Zain |last5=Wezeman |first5=Siemon T. |title=Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2023 |url=https://www.sipri.org/publications/2024/sipri-fact-sheets/trends-international-arms-transfers-2023 |website=Stockholm International Peace Research Institute |access-date=4 February 2025}}</ref> All armed services have received new major arms in 2014–18, but mainly aircraft and ships. The F-35 combat aircraft and antisubmarine warfare aircraft from the USA made up 53 per cent of Australian arms imports in 2014–18, while ships from Spain accounted for 29 per cent.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.sipri.org/publications/2019/sipri-fact-sheets/trends-international-arms-transfers-2018|title=Trends in international arms transfers, 2018 &#124; SIPRI|website=sipri.org|date=March 2019|last1=Wezeman|first1=Pieter D.|last2=Fleurant|first2=Aude|last3=Kuimova|first3=Alexandra|last4=Tian|first4=Nan|last5=Wezeman|first5=Siemon T.}}</ref>

Australia is modernising its armed forces but also acquiring weapons that significantly increase its long-range capabilities. Among the weapons imported in 2010–14 were 5 tanker aircraft and the first of 2 amphibious assault ships from Spain, along with 2 large transport aircraft and 4 airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft from the USA. Australia also received 26 combat aircraft from the US, with 82 more on order (see box 3), as well as 8 anti-submarine warfare aircraft from the US and 3 Hobart destroyers from Spain.  

In 2021, after Australia ended its 20-year military mission in Afghanistan, the defence officials held formal talks on strengthening military ties with the [[United Arab Emirates]]. However, the human rights groups said that it was "very concerning" to witness, as the Emirates was accused of carrying out "unlawful attacks" in war-torn nations like [[Libya]] and [[Yemen]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-09/australia-military-ties-united-arab-emirates-war-crime-concerns/100279162|title=Australia pushes close military ties with United Arab Emirates despite war crime concerns|access-date=8 July 2021|website=ABC News|date=8 July 2021}}</ref>

In contrast to 2014-18, the period from 2019-23 saw a 21 per cent decline in Australia's major arms imports.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wezeman |first1=Pieter D. |last2=Djokic |first2=Katarina |last3=George |first3=Mathew |last4=Hussain |first4=Zain |last5=Wezeman |first5=Siemon T. |title=Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2023 |url=https://www.sipri.org/publications/2024/sipri-fact-sheets/trends-international-arms-transfers-2023 |website=Stockholm International Peace Research Institute |access-date=4 February 2025}}</ref> 
However, in December 2021, Australia signed a defence procurement deal with [[South Korea]] worth $1billion AUD (US$720 million) for modern [[artillery]], supply trucks and radars supplied by South Korean defense company [[Hanwha]]. The South Korean President [[Moon Jae-in]] and Australian Prime Minister [[Scott Morrison]] met for the signing of the agreement and additionally announced they were formally upgrading the Australian-South Korean relationship to a "comprehensive strategic partnership."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/business-china-asia-australia-south-korea-da5f264a9b7b04d34734e139429b102d|title=Australia and South Korea sign defence deal as leaders meet|date=13 December 2021|website=AP NEWS}}</ref> Moreover, in 2023 Australia reached an agreement with the UK and the USA to import at least six nuclear-powered submarines. <ref>{{cite web |last1=Wezeman |first1=Pieter D. |last2=Djokic |first2=Katarina |last3=George |first3=Mathew |last4=Hussain |first4=Zain |last5=Wezeman |first5=Siemon T. |title=Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2023 |url=https://www.sipri.org/publications/2024/sipri-fact-sheets/trends-international-arms-transfers-2023 |website=Stockholm International Peace Research Institute |access-date=4 February 2025}}</ref>