China has officially lifted its trade suspensions on Australian red meat, marking the resolution of one of the final barriers in a four-year trade dispute that had affected approximately US$13 billion in Australian exports.
Since 2020, a range of Australia’s key export commodities faced restrictions from China, but relations have gradually improved over the past two years.
As a result, Beijing has removed tariffs on Australian barley and wine, lifted the timber import ban, and resumed coal shipments.
The red meat and lobster trade restrictions were the last to be lifted. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Tuesday that China has cleared the way for the full resumption of red meat exports.
The government also expects full lobster trade to resume by the end of the year, as announced in October.
“We are now very close to the point where all of China’s trade barriers, which impacted A$20 billion (US$13 billion) worth of Australian exports, have been removed,” said Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell on Tuesday.
