The trade war between the United States and China could pose a serious threat to Tasmania, Premier Will Hodgman has said.
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Mr Hodgman said Tasmania was "trade exposed to China" and he called on the federal government to ensure good relations are maintained with the state's global trading partners.
"Thirty per cent of our goods and services go to China, they are a really important, critical partner so this is an issue of concern to our state," Mr Hodgman said.
"We look to our Commonwealth Government to play a facilitating role to ensure that our trade is not impacted but also that there are strong, positive relations between our global partners."
Mr Hodgman was speaking during a visit to Moriarty onion grower Charlton Farm, where he announced the appointment of Launceston businessman Bede Clifton to a key role as the state's second trade adviser, a move which came about because businesses were asking for more support on the ground.
Mr Hodgman also talked up one of the state's booming crops after this year's spectacular onion season saw Tasmanian onion exports to Europe double in the first five months of 2019 to 17,000 tonnes.
It came about after a heatwave in Europe impacted on onion crops there creating increased demand for Tassie onions.
Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Michael Bailey called it a great day for Tasmanian export.
"The TCCI has run the trade start contract in Tasmania for Austrade for the past 16 years and Sally Chandler is the best trade starter in the country - what is significant about the announcement today is Tasmania doubles its trade start power," Mr Bailey said.
"It reflects the growth in exports in Tasmania and how the world is waking up to Tasmanian products. These two trade start advisers will make sure Tasmanian companies have the best advice to access export opportunities in our region and around the world."
On the US-China issue, Mr Bailey said a trade war was in no one's best interests.
"Both the US and China are very commercially-minded countries and at the end of the day they need each other very badly, so I suspect that they will find a way through," Mr Bailey said.
He said China was now worth over a billion dollars to Tasmania a year in exports and is an "absolutely critical market". He said Tasmania had identified other export opportunities it had not really touched on in Indonesia and supplying India's growing middle classes.
