Beijing, Mar 28 (EFE).- China announced Thursday the elimination of tariffs imposed on wine imported from Australia amid improving bilateral relations between both countries after years of disagreements and trade tensions.
The measure, which will come into force on Mar. 29, was adopted after the Ministry of Commerce submitted a proposal to the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council – the Chinese cabinet -, which approved the recommendation citing changes in the wine market in the country.
In a statement posted on its website, the ministry said that it was no longer necessary to impose anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs that had been in place for wine imported from the Oceania country since 2021.
The Chinese government had imposed the tariffs after the previous Australian government, led by conservative Scott Morrison, requested a global probe into the origin of Covid-19.
Before the imposition of the tariffs, Australian wine accounted for 35.5 percent of China’s wine market but two years later it did not even appear among the top 10 exporters of wine to the Asian giant.
Beijing has been lifting trade restrictions on several products and bilateral relations have progressed since the arrival to power in May 2022 of Labor leader Anthony Albanese, who visited China in November.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong welcomed the lifting of the tariffs at a “critical time for the Australian wine industry.”
“The re-entry of Australian bottled wine into the Chinese market will benefit both Australian producers and Chinese consumers,” she said.
“This outcome affirms the calm and consistent approach taken by the Albanese Labor government and follows the success of the similar approach taken to remove duties on Australian barley,” Wong added.
She also said that Australia would discontinue its legal proceedings at the World Trade Organization following the removal of duties while continuing to press for all remaining trade impediments affecting Australian exports to be removed.
Wong and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi met in Canberra this month to discuss key issues including security in the Indo-Pacific region, bilateral trade and human rights after years of bilateral tensions. EFE
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