In the wake of the free trade deal between China and Australia, there is a growing concern on the possible repercussions of this bold move. Some fear that the inclusion of traditional Chinese medicine could actually spell the death of Aussie science.

On Wednesday, Australia and China officially signed the free trade agreement, signalling the start of the Chinese's favorable access to Australian wine and beef products. Similarly, the Aussie market will benefit from this deal since China is also bringing in and showcasing its carmakers and electronics manufacturers down south, The Guardian has learned.

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Both parties are hoping for the best from this trade agreement signed by Chinese commerce minister Gao Hucheng and Aussie trade minister Andrew Robb, since it is believed to promote numerous benefits for both industries and consumers.

Hucheng opined that the free trade between his country and Australia "is the highest degree of liberalisation of all the FTAs China has so far signed with any economy."

For the most part, Australia is bound to benefit from the free trade deal since its exporters can now send in a large range of products like beef, lamb, dairy, seafood and horticulture to the biggest market in the world.

However, Friends of Science in Medicine co-founder and professor of neurophysiology, Dr. Marcello Costa is not letting all the good things lure him into believing that this trade agreement will not bring in serious repercussions, ABC.net reports.

As per the signed free trade agreement, traditional Chinese medicine will also play a part in China and Australia's business relationship. The Chinese government even singled out that its traditional medicine should be welcomed by the Aussies and that the other party should also allow the registration of traditional Chinese medicine experts to work in their country.

Dr. Costa said this will only spell "tragedy for Australian science." He even noted that the Aussies should not really welcome this medicine bond with open arms.

He then went on to claim that there may not be a clear picture on the effects of Chinese medicine to Australia's science, but it will eventually change the way Aussies view their own medicinal teachings. 

Meanwhile, Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Showen is seeing more of the advantages of the free trade deal than the possible disadvantages.

He has told the media that Beijing is now on the verge of tapping north Australia for big projects related to infrastructure, agriculture and food processing, according to Financial Review.

"China is the third largest investor globally and there is strong interest in investing in Australia..in the agricultural sector, food processing sector," he said. "China is very strong on infrastructure...and this [sector] could also benefit from more open investment."

TagsAustralia, free trade