News
China says some Australian coal imports have failed to meet environmental standards, amid reports that 53 bulk carriers holding more than five million tonnes of Australian coal worth $500 million have been stranded off Chinese ports for a month, anchored and unable to unload.
News
Trade Minister Simon Birmingham is leaving the door open to taking China to the World Trade Organisation over barriers to Australian goods.
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China is serious about imposing substantial trade penalties on Australian industry – evident by a Chinese Government crackdown on Australian coal imports, an anti-dumping ruling against Australian barley exporters and deregistration of four Australian beef exporters. But the most telling effect on South Australia will come from a possible anti-dumping finding against Australian wine exporters.
Chinese media reports that authorities are planning to halt imports of Australian wine, lobsters, sugar, coal, copper, barley and timber are “deeply troubling”, Trade Minister Simon Birmingham says.
South Australian lobsters are among those that have been stranded on the tarmac in China, sparking concerns the lucrative shellfish could be the next target of Chinese trade sanctions.
Australia’s wine exports have grown to reach the highest value since 2007, despite the coronavirus pandemic and the threat of tariffs from its biggest wine customer China.
Australian cotton growers could be the latest victims of increasingly bitter trade tensions with China which have seen crippling tariffs placed on Australian barley exports, with wine also in the firing line.
