China-Australia relations: Canberra calls for ‘resumption of unimpeded trade’ as ministers meet for first time since 2019
Australia’s Don Farrell spoke virtually with Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao on Monday in first meeting of Australian and Chinese trade ministers since 2019
Farrell confirmed he had accepted Wang’s invitation to travel to Beijing ‘in the near future to continue our productive dialogue’
China has placed various import bans and restrictions on Australian products, including lobsters, barley and wine. Photo: AFP
Australian and Chinese trade ministers met for the first time since 2019 on Monday, with Australia’s Don Farrell urging the “resumption of unimpeded trade”, while also accepting an invitation from counterpart Wang Wentao to visit Beijing.
Canberra and Beijing had both confirmed last week that the meeting would take place amid thawing bilateral tensions, raising hopes that China might lift various import bans and restrictions on Australian products, including lobsters, barley and wine.
It follows a meeting between President Xi Jinping and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in November, and the first visit by an Australianforeign minister to China since 2018in December.
Our discussion covered a range of trade and investment issues, including the need for resumption of unimpeded trade for Australian exporters so that Chinese consumers can continue to benefit from high-quality Australian productsDon Farrell
“Our meeting represents another important step in the stabilisation of Australia’s relations with China,” Farrell said in a statement.
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“Our discussion covered a range of trade and investment issues, including the need for resumption of unimpeded trade for Australian exporters so that Chinese consumers can continue to benefit from high-quality Australian products.”
Farrell said he had accepted Wang’s invitation to travel to Beijing “in the near future to continue our productive dialogue”.
Australian lobsters will also be allowed to legally return to the Chinese market in March, the Post reported last week, citing sources who took part in a closed-door meeting with the Australian prime minister.
“Minister Wang and I agreed to enhance dialogue at all levels, including between officials, as a pathway towards the timely and full resumption of trade,” Farrell added.
“We agreed to explore further opportunities for cooperation on a wider range of issues, including climate change and support for business delegations, to further strengthen links between our countries.
“With China’s border now open, Australia looks forward to welcoming Chinese tourists and students back to our shores, as we did with over 1.4 million Chinese visitors in 2019.”
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The Ministry of Commerce in Beijing has yet to release a statement about the meeting between Wang and Farrell.
China is Australia’s largest two-way trading partner in goods and services, according to Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, accounting for nearly one-third of the country’s trade with the world.
Two-way trade with China grew by 6.3 per cent in 2020-21, totalling A$267 billion (US$189 billion), the department said, while Australia’s global two-way trade declined by 5 per cent during the same period.
Chinese ambassador Xiao Qiansaid last month that Australian and Chinese negotiators were discussing whether Australia could drop complaints at the World Trade Organization on Chinese tariffs on wine and barley and resolve them bilaterally.
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