The Chinese authorities have decided to cancel anti-dumping and countervailing duties on the import of Australian barley from August 5, 2023, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said on Friday.
“Due to the changing situation in the Chinese barley market, it is no longer necessary to continue to levy anti-dumping and countervailing duties on barley imported from Australia ... From August 5, 2023, anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imported Australian barley will be canceled,” the agency said in a statement.
It is noted that earlier the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China proposed to the Tariffication and Classification Committee under the State Council of the People's Republic of China to cancel the relevant duties, and the proposal of the department was approved.
In 2020, China imposed high tariffs on key Australian exports such as barley, beef and wine. It also stopped imports of some of Australia's most important exports, including coal, cutting trade by billions of dollars. In response, Australia complained to the World Trade Organization (WTO), arguing that China violated international obligations by artificially and "unreasonably" raising tariffs.
In February 2023, the trade ministers of Australia and China held their first bilateral meeting since 2019, showing signs of improving relations. China recently lifted trade restrictions on Australian coal, and in April Australia suspended its World Trade Organization (WTO) complaint against China in an effort to reopen the Chinese market to Australian barley three years later.
Despite the possible warming of trade relations between Australia and China, in the field of defense there are sharp questions where the interests of the two countries clash. Earlier, the Chinese Foreign Ministry called hypocritical statements by the AUKUS countries (Australia, the United States and Great Britain) that they would comply with nuclear nonproliferation standards against the backdrop of Australia's plans to purchase nuclear submarines. Beijing said that the three countries are moving further and further down a misguided and dangerous path, pursuing their own geopolitical interests and completely ignoring the concerns of the international community.