For Australia, a landmark free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States in 2005 has been followed by a “trifecta” of FTAs this year with China, Japan and South Korea.

Once ratified, the most recent FTA—between Australia and China in mid-November—will lock in the zero import tariff on crude, petroleum products and LNG the commodities already enjoy.

According to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia exported over A$85 billion (US$74 billion) in resources, energy and manufactured products to China in 2013. Overall, China ranks first as Australia’s greatest receiver of exports and source of imports. Total trade between the two nations reached A$142 billion (US$ 124 billion) last year, a 21% growth from 2012. Australia primarily exports iron ores and concentrates to the nation of nearly 1.4 billion people.

However, in the past five years, Australia has been a major source of LNG for China as well. According to BP’s “Statistical Review of World Energy” for the past five years, Australia was China’s largest source of LNG until 2012, when the island country was eclipsed by Qatar. Australia has seen its share of China’s LNG imports wither since 2009, dropping from 62% to about 20%. Yet even as its market stake reduced, it remains China’s second-largest source of LNG imports.

Meanwhile, China represents about one-fifth of Australia’s LNG exports over the past five years. Japan has been the typical destination for Australian LNG. However, given Japan’s almost certain, if slow, return to its nuclear power generators and China’s desire to turn to cleaner-burning fuels, China represents a large growth market for Australian projects.

Australia currently has three export terminals operational: Darwin LNG, with a capacity of 3.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa); Pluto LNG, with 4.3 mtpa; and the massive North West Shelf LNG, at 16.1 mtpa. However, in addition to this 23.9 mtpa currently operational, another 61.2 mtpa is currently under construction, with countless more liquefaction trains proposed beyond that. Most of that capacity is slated to come online in the next two years; Australia Pacific LNG, Gladstone LNG and Gorgon LNG should begin producing next year.

Ichthys LNG and Wheatstone LNG are expected to follow in 2016, and Shell’s massive FLNG project Prelude is scheduled to enter service in 2017.

Despite delays earlier this year, Queensland Curtis LNG looks to begin production either at the end of this year or at the beginning of the next.

ConocoPhillips, which is involved with Australia Pacific LNG, Darwin LNG and Gladstone LNG, and Woodside, which owns parts of trains in the North West Shelf LNG and Pluto LNG developments, declined comment.