China tells Australia to ‘reflect on its own deeds’ as it imposes new import bans

Name: China-Australia trade: Beijing set to ban nearly US$400 million worth of Australian wheat imports
Uploaded: 2020-11-06T12:44:11.000Z
Duration: 1 min 15 s
Description: China-Australia trade: Beijing set to ban nearly US$400 million worth of Australian wheat imports

Chinese importers advised to stop buying Australian barley, sugar, red wine, timber, coal, lobster, copper ore and copper concentrates

Foreign ministry says moves are justified and blames Canberra for downward spiral in relations

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New restrictions by China on the importing of Australian coal and other items come as China-Australia relations sink to the lowest point in decades. Photo: Reuters

Catherine WongandSu-Lin Tan

Published: 8:44pm, 6 Nov 2020Updated: 1:26am, 7 Nov 2020

Beijing said Canberra should “reflect on its own deeds” as it began imposing a raft of punitive restrictions on imports from Australia on Friday.

Chinese importers were advised to stop importing barley, sugar, red wine, timber, coal, lobster, copper ore and copper concentrates from Australia. A ban on Australian wheat could follow, the South China Morning Post reported earlier.

The latest import restrictions come as relations between the two countries have plunged to the lowest point in decades and follow earlier Chinese trade actions including anti-dumping duties on Australian barley, beef export suspensions and a new anti-dumping investigation into cheap Australian wine.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Friday said Beijing’s moves were justified and that Australia was to blame for the rapidly deteriorating bilateral ties.

“I want to stress that the Chinese relevant authorities’ measures on imports are in line with Chinese laws and regulations and customary international practices,” Wang said at a regular press briefing. “They also protect the safety of consumers and the legitimate rights and interests of domestic industries, and are reasonable, legal and inculpable.”

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China-Australia trade: Beijing set to ban nearly US$400 million worth of Australian wheat imports

China’s actions have been criticised as a violation of World Trade Organization rules as well as the free-trade agreement it signed with Australia in 2015. Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham in a statement on Wednesday called on China to “play by the rules” and address the concerns of businesses.