China’s resolution to repeal pricey barley tariffs is “mutually beneficial” and Australia didn’t make any concessions to Beijing, Agriculture Minister Murray Watt has mentioned.
On Friday, the federal government confirmed that after three years and a prolonged World Trade Organisation dispute settlement, Beijing had scrapped the 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley.
It price the business almost $1 billion a 12 months, and the choice has been welcomed extensively from Australian growers.
But requested whether or not the Chinese authorities had obtained any concessions on the commerce entrance, or every other trade-off for the choice, Senator Watt was fast to refute.
“We’ve just been very consistent in our position, arguing that we think that we should be following a rules-based trading system, that we thought that these tariffs were unfair,” Senator Watt advised Sky News.
“We’ve also argued that this is in the interest of both countries. This isn’t just about a benefit to Australia, it’s also a benefit to China.
“Chinese brewing companies needed to have access, and wanted to have access to Australian barley. So this is a mutually beneficial outcome.”
Australia introduced motion within the WTO in opposition to the barley tariffs, however paused a number of months in the past to offer China time to overview its tariffs.
The authorities is now turning its consideration to an ongoing dispute over wine, with Senator Watt hopeful the highway to China scrapping barley tariffs could be reproduced.
“We see this as a template for how we would like to resolve the issues that remain for wine,” Senator Watt mentioned.
“Again, China was our biggest export market for wine prior to the imposition of tariffs a couple of years ago, and the wine producers who I meet with on a regular basis in Australia are very keen to have this market reopen.
“We brought action in the WTO to resolve the despite, but we’ve always said we would much prefer to resolve these sorts of disputes through dialogue.”
Questions are additionally now turning as to if China’s resolution would be the catalyst for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to formally announce a visit to Beijing.
On Saturday, Mr Albanese welcomed the commerce news however mentioned the subsequent step was wine.
“One in four Australian jobs depends upon trade. And that‘s why trade is good,” he mentioned.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
