While a definitive list is hard to maintain due to private ownership and varying stakes, key examples of Australian assets with significant Chinese ownership or investment include EnergyAustralia (owned by CLP, Hong Kong-based, Chinese link), Alinta Energy (Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, China-linked), and numerous vineyards/wine brands (e.g., Kilikanoon, Château Yaldara, Hollick). Major Australian firms like Rio Tinto, Fortescue, Orica have Chinese shareholders, but aren't fully owned, and large investments exist in agriculture, mining, and energy infrastructure.
A number of Australian energy companies, for example, are owned by Chinese firms. EnergyAustralia, despite its name, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hong Kong-based China Light and Power Co Ltd, while Alinta Energy is owned by Chow Tai Fook Enterprises.
Major imports from China include clothing, communications equipment, computers, prams, toys, games and sporting goods, furniture and televisions.
Basic materials
Yes, EnergyAustralia is owned by the Hong Kong-based CLP Group (China Light and Power), which has significant Chinese ownership and ties to the Kadoorie family, making it foreign-owned, not Australian, despite its name and public sale of former state assets. While the parent company is in Hong Kong, it's part of a larger Asian conglomerate with substantial Chinese connections.
China is still a major player in the Australian Property Market. Despite Beijing's recent restrictions on offshore company investment China's presence in Australia's property market remains very strong, accounting for a third of national development sites.
While many famous brands like Arnott's or Vegemite have Australian roots, they are often foreign-owned; genuinely 100% Australian-owned and made brands include Norco, SPC, Mayvers, Sanitarium, Bundaberg Rum, Fess Nasal Sprays, Hydralyte, and many smaller businesses found via the Australian Made Campaign like GME, Aqualyte, and Struc Steel. Look for the Australian Made and Owned logo for assurance that money stays local.
In 2024, China imported 1.34 million tons of beef from Brazil, 594,567 tons from Argentina, 243,662 tons from Uruguay, 216,050 tons from Australia, 150,514 tons from New Zealand, and 138,112 tons from the U.S..
Gina Rinehart is often cited as Australia's largest private landowner, controlling millions of hectares through her Hancock Prospecting and other interests, primarily for mining and cattle, but ownership is complex with vast areas held under lease and significant land also owned by large corporations like the Australian Agricultural Company and First Nations groups, notes The Guardian and A-Z Animals.
Yes, approximately 90% of people in China own their homes, making it one of the highest homeownership rates globally, a result of significant housing reforms starting in 1998 that privatized public housing, alongside strong cultural emphasis on owning property as a marker of stability and a prerequisite for marriage, though it's important to note ownership is of the building, not the land, which remains state-owned. Urban rates hover around 87%, while rural rates are over 95%, with many families owning multiple properties.
Australia is one of the most popular destinations for overseas higher education and tourism among Chinese people. Australia's Chinese community is also one of the largest in the world, and per capita it is the largest outside Asia, and Mandarin Chinese is the second-most spoken language in Australia.
Australia's leading export is iron ore, followed by coal, gold, and petroleum. These key commodities generate $48.2 billion, $47 billion, $29.1 billion, and $20.3 billion, respectively.
The United States continues to import food from China, including $4.6 billion worth in 2017 alone. Top imports include fruits and vegetables, snack foods, spices and tea. In 2019, for example, the U.S. imported $89 million worth of tea and $300 million worth of apple juice.
Wealth among the wealthiest growing 'much faster'
According to 2024 statistics from the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) and UNSW, the wealthiest 10 per cent of households in Australia own 44 per cent of all wealth, with an average of $5.2 million per household.
Only Australian citizens and permanent residents can purchase property, but international buyers can apply for permission through the Foreign Investment Review Board.
Resources and energy make up the largest share of Australia's exports to China, with iron ore, natural gas and gold leading the way.
“With over 70% of the world's food production reliant on family farmers, this type of farming represents the vast majority of agriculture worldwide, both in developed and developing countries.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have occupied the lands and waters of Australia for millennia. Since the beginning of colonisation, Australia's First peoples have defended their lands and waters and asserted their rights to their homelands.
Buying assets in Australia
Australia has about 400 million hectares of agricultural land and about 14 per cent is foreign-owned. China is fourth on the list of countries with property in Australia with just 2.2 per cent, much less than the Netherlands, the US, and the UK.
ALDI's fresh meat in Australia is proudly 100% Australian grown, sourced from top Australian farmers and suppliers like the Bindaree Food Group (Jindurra Station for beef), ensuring local production for beef, lamb, pork, and chicken, meeting high-quality standards like APIQ for pork.
No imported pork meat is able to be sold into Australia's fresh pork market due to biosecurity provisions contained in the Pork Biosecurity Import Risk Assessment.
Several milk brands are 100% Australian owned, including Norco, an Australian farmer-owned co-operative; Riverina Fresh, a long-standing Australian dairy company; and Procal, a family-owned dairy in Victoria, plus brands like aPLUS milk, Little Big Dairy Co, and Great Ocean Road Dairy, all emphasizing local ownership and production to support Australian farmers and communities.
Yes, H&M is in Australia, operating both physical stores (though some have closed as part of global restructuring) and an online store, offering affordable fashion for men, women, and children across various locations and nationwide via their website.
All FoodWorks supermarkets are 100% Australian-owned and operated, we can be found throughout all States and Territories, in urban cities and small remote communities.