Australian Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell told Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao at a meeting in Beijing on Friday that there was still work to be done before normal trade relations could be restored.
Speaking at the 16th Economic Joint Ministerial Committee meeting, Farrell also said “we can see the benefits to Australian and Chinese businesses and consumers from the 2015 China-Australia Free Trade Agreement”.
In 2020, China imposed trade restrictions on Australia’s exports of wine, beef, barley, coal, cotton, seafood and timber.
In January, Beijing gave permission to four government-backed companies to ship Australian coal and the coal trade has now fully resumed. But Canberra is looking forward to lifting restrictions on more products and strengthening diplomatic ties.
Beijing defends its interests but wants stable relations with Washington and Canberra
In his speech, Biden said, “The United States will not leave it unanswered if China violates its sovereignty.”
Australia also agreed in April to suspend measures it had previously initiated at the World Trade Organization over China’s anti-dumping duties on barley. China said it would speed up the tariff review.
Farrell also told Fang at the meeting that Australia would always favor dialogue on the ongoing WTO dispute.
Adding that “He already sees the benefits of dialogue in the agreements reached and the path to resolution.”
According to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, the government expects a similar outcome in the beard duty debate.
