Why scrap Victoria’s ‘meaningless’ Belt and Road deal? Because it sends a powerful message to Beijing
- Written by Michael Clarke, Associate Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University

The Morrison government’s decision to scrap Victoria’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) agreement with China was based on Australia’s new Foreign Relations Act, which says the foreign minister may
ensure that arrangements entered by state or territory governments, and associated entities, are not negotiated, entered...