Australia's trade minister sought China to lift import restrictions on wine, lobster and other products

On February 13, Australian Trade Minister Farrell said he would meet with Chinese officials later this month and seek to lift import restrictions on Australian wine, lobster and meat, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

Australian Trade Minister Farrell. Data map丨Visual China

According to reports, Farrell said he would meet with Chinese officials at a World Trade Organization meeting in Abu Dhabi on February 26 and have a constructive dialogue.

During the meeting, in addition to the topic of wine, he also proposed to the Chinese side the import restrictions on lobster and several slaughterhouses. However, Farrell said it was indeed too early to discuss the resumption of the lobster trade, but the meeting would at least give him a preliminary assessment of the timing of the lifting of restrictions.

In April 2020, Australia's Morrison government insisted on participating in the "containment of China" by the United States in disregard of bilateral relations, and demanded that China launch a new coronavirus origin-tracing investigation, which aroused strong dissatisfaction among the Chinese people and government, causing China-Australia relations to fall into a trough and bilateral trade was also affected. However, with the new Australian government taking office, relations between the two countries have warmed, and China has lifted most trade restrictions on Australian goods. In November, China said it would conduct a review within five months to determine whether tariffs on Australian wine and other products would be lifted.

Australian Red Wine. Figure丨Visual China

Farrell had previously promised that Australian wine and lobster would appear on the tables of Chinese consumers during Christmas 2023, but that promise has so far not materialized.

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