BEIJING, November 27 (Online): China on Friday said it would impose anti-dumping measures on Australian wine, in a further ramping up of tensions between Beijing and Canberra.
\nChina — Australia\u2019s biggest trade partner — has threatened economic retaliation since Canberra called for an inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic, and has already suspended some timber and beef imports.
\nFrom Saturday importers will have to pay deposits of 107.1 percent to 212.1 percent, China\u2019s commerce ministry said.
\nThe ministry said it was making the move in response to “substantive harm caused to the relevant domestic wine industry”.
\nChina frequently leverages its huge market in diplomatic disputes, cutting off or limiting access when angered.
\nWine exports to China hit a record A$1.3 billion (US$900 million) last year, according to Australian government data, making it the biggest market by value for the product.
\nShares in Treasury Wine Estates Limited — which owns the popular Penfolds brands — sank more than 11 percent on the news before trade was halted.
\nChina\u2019s wine industry has complained Australian wines benefit from government subsidies that give them an advantage over Chinese products, the commerce ministry said in August when it launched its probe.
\nAustralian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said at the time “we strongly refute claims” that government programmes supporting research and development amounted to a subsidy of the country\u2019s wine exports.
\nIn recent months, Canberra\u2019s relationship with Beijing has gone from bad to worse.
\nBeijing has produced a laundry list of complaints about Australian policies — from banning Huawei\u2019s participation in 5G to its call for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.
\nA Chinese official gave a dossier to Australian media containing 14 grievances earlier this month, reportedly telling the outlets “If you make China the enemy, China will be the enemy.”
\nAustralian Prime Minster Scott Morrison hit back, saying Australia “won\u2019t be compromising” on issues including foreign investment laws and 5G networks.
\nIn May, China suspended imports of beef from four Australian slaughterhouses and imposed 80 percent tariffs on Australian barley imports.
\nTwo Indian merchant ships carrying Australian coal have been stuck at Chinese ports since the summer, with Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian on Wednesday saying Chinese authorities had in recent years found “many cases where imported coal didn\u2019t meet our environmental protection standards”.
\nBeijing has also warned people not to visit Australia for study or tourism, alleging anti-Asian racism in the wake of the pandemic.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
BEIJING, November 27 (Online): China on Friday said it would impose anti-dumping measures on Australian wine, in a further ramping up of tensions between Beijing and Canberra. China — Australia\u2019s biggest trade partner — has threatened economic retaliation since Canberra called for an inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic, and has already suspended some timber and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":158924,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-158915","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n