BEIJING (AFP) – China said yesterday it will remove extra tariffs on Australian barley.
Beijing imposed levies on key Australian exports such as barley and beef in 2020.
It also stopped imports of some of Australia’s most significant commodities, including coal, which curbed billions of dollars in trade. But yesterday, China’s Commerce Ministry said it was “no longer necessary to continue to impose anti-dumping duties and countervailing duties on imports of barley originating in Australia in view of changes in the Chinese barley market”.
In turn, Australia said it would drop a retaliatory case against the world’s second-biggest economy at the World Trade Organization, which was paused earlier this year as the countries’ trade ministers stepped up negotiations.
“We welcome this outcome, which paves the way for our barley exporters to re-enter the Chinese market – benefitting Australian producers and Chinese consumers,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement.
Recent economic data released by Beijing suggests the country’s post-COVID-19 recovery is running out of steam and growth is slowing, and calls for government support measures are ramping up.
Xi had called for relations with Australia to “improve” in a November 2022 meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
It was the first formal summit between the two countries in more than five years.
Australia has this year resumed exports of coal and timber. And Trade Minister Don Farrell told reporters in June that barley was “the next cab off of the rank” following a “good meeting” with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Wentao, in Detroit.
Barley exports to China were worth about AUD916 million (USD600 million) in the 2018 to 2019 season.
