Australia’s trade minister said Tuesday that his country does not want a trade war with China, but maintained Beijing had erred by imposing stiff tariffs on Australian barley in what is widely seen as punishment for advocating an investigation into the coronavirus pandemic.
China effectively ended imports of Australian barley by putting tariffs of more than 80% on the crop, accusing Australia of breaching World Trade Organization rules by subsidizing barley production and selling the crop in China at below production costs. The move came a week after China banned beef imports from Australia’s four largest abattoirs over labeling issues.
“Australia is not interested in a trade war. We don’t pursue our trade policies on a tit-for-tat basis,” Trade Minister Simon Birmingham told reporters. “We operate according to the trade rules that we strongly support.”
Birmingham said China “has made errors of both fact and law” in applying WTO rules, adding that there was no evidence that Australia was engaged in dumping of products.
The trade dispute has coincided with Australia's push for an international investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic and responses to it. Beijing has denied they are related.
The World Health Organization bowed to calls Monday from most of its member states to launch an independent probe into how it managed the international response to the virus, which was first found in China late last year. The evaluation would stop short of looking into contentious issues such as the origins of the virus.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said China supports the idea of a comprehensive review of the global response to COVID-19 and it should be “based on science and professionalism led by WHO, and conducted in an objective and impartial manner.”
Australia has been seen as a leader in rallying global support for an inquiry, attracting Chinese criticism that it is parroting the United States and inviting a Chinese boycott of exports and services.
The Chinese Embassy in Australia said Tuesday that the WHO consensus reached by its decision-making body, the World Health Assembly, in Geneva did not vindicate Australian calls for an investigation.
“The draft resolution on COVID-19 to be adopted by the World Health Assembly is totally different from Australia’s proposal of an independent international review,” an embassy statement said.
“To claim the WHA’s resolution a vindication of Australia’s call is nothing but a joke,” the statement added.
Weihuan Zhou, a University of New South Wales international trade expert, said China began its barley investigation in 2018 in response to Australia imposing anti-dumping duties on Chinese steel and aluminum.
But Zhou said he suspects the Chinese decisions on beef and barley are because of Australia’s advocacy for the coronavirus investigation.
His suspicion was bolstered by China’s decision to set the anti-dumping tax at 73.6% — far higher than the 56% that Chinese industry had requested. Beijing also imposed a 6.9% anti-subsidy tax.
Birmingham said he understood why people drew the link between trade and Australia’s coronavirus stance given Chinese Ambassador Cheng Jingye’s “unhelpful comments” in a newspaper interview last month.
Cheng told The Australian Financial Review that Australia might face a Chinese boycott of its tourism and exports of wine, beef and other goods if the government pressed for a coronavirus inquiry.
China is the No. 1 market for Australian beef, accounting for about 30% of exports.
“Others can debate whether or not there's a linkage,” Birmingham said.
Beijing has regularly used access to its huge market as leverage against governments from Norway to Canada in political disputes over the past decade. Chinese officials routinely refuse to confirm a trade disruption is related to a political clash but make it clear Beijing wants concessions.
Australian barley farmer Andrew Weidemann said the tariff barrier “stops the trade completely” with Australia’s biggest customer.
“It’s a really bitter pill to swallow,” Weidemann said. “It’s a real dent in our economy and it will have a big impact.”
AP Newsroom
Tue May 19 2020
In this May 14, 2019 photo, packages of frozen beef filets from Australia, left, the United States, center, and Canada, right, are for sale at a supermarket in Beijing - AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
Ulang tahun TLDM dirai nada berbeza, jangan lupa mereka yang tiada
Warga TLDM diharapkan terus cekal, tabah demi rakyat dan tanah air, walaupun berhadapan pelbagai rintangan dan cabaran.
Lelaki warga Myanmar maut dalam pergaduhan
Seorang lelaki ditemui dalam keadaan tidak sedarkan diri dan berlumuran darah dipercayai ditikam dan dipukul pada bahagian kepala.
Jabatan Pengajian Antarabangsa dan Strategik UM mohon maaf kepada seluruh rakyat Malaysia
Dalam satu kenyataan pada Sabtu, jabatan itu menegaskan pihaknya kesal dan memandang serius terhadap perkara itu.
AWANI 7:45 [27/04/2024] - Siasatan sama ada Tun M salah guna kuasa | Jangkaan persaingan sengit | FFC umum tangguh misi | Mesyuarat khas dua hari
#AWANI745 malam ini bersama Dzulfitri Yusof;
1. Mokhzani dan Mirzan nafi disiasat SPRM
2. Pertandingan empat penjuru, PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu
3. Freedom Flotilla To Gaza ditangguh, delegasi dunia pulang
4. Mesyuarat Khas WEF berlangsung di Arab Saudi, ketika suhu geopolitik semakin panas
1. Mokhzani dan Mirzan nafi disiasat SPRM
2. Pertandingan empat penjuru, PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu
3. Freedom Flotilla To Gaza ditangguh, delegasi dunia pulang
4. Mesyuarat Khas WEF berlangsung di Arab Saudi, ketika suhu geopolitik semakin panas
Piala Thomas: Jangan pandang mudah Malaysia - Antonsen
Walaupun Malaysia membariskan skuad perseorangan kurang 'menyengat', Anders Antonsen masih menjangkakan saingan sengit.
Budak lima tahun cedera jatuh dari tingkat tiga flat
Seorang kanak-kanak perempuan berusia lima tahun cedera selepas dipercayai terjatuh dari tingkat tiga rumahnya di Flat Taman College Height pada Sabtu.
AWANI Ringkas: Kasino di Forest City
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Hamas sudah terima maklum balas Israel mengenai cadangan gencatan senjata
Gesaan dari seluruh dunia untuk satu gencatan senjata semakin meningkat dengan serangan ke atas Gaza kini memasuki bulan ketujuh.
World Economic Forum berbeza dari kelaziman
Lazimnya World Economic Forum (WEF) akan berlangsung setiap musim sejuk di Davos, Switzerland, lokasi lahirnya forum berprestij dunia ini sejak lebih lebih dekad lalu.
Dalam tempoh kira-kira tiga bulan, WEF keluar dari kelazimannya dengan menganjurkan mesyuarat khas dua hari, 28 hingga 29 April 2024 di Riyadh, Arab Saudi.
Ia memberi isyarat, kepentingan kestabilan rantau Asia Barat atau timur tengah ini, bukan perakara main-main.
#AWANI745
Dalam tempoh kira-kira tiga bulan, WEF keluar dari kelazimannya dengan menganjurkan mesyuarat khas dua hari, 28 hingga 29 April 2024 di Riyadh, Arab Saudi.
Ia memberi isyarat, kepentingan kestabilan rantau Asia Barat atau timur tengah ini, bukan perakara main-main.
#AWANI745
Pemain Astro Kem Badminton 2024 berpeluang berlatih di bawah jurulatih BAM
Wan Wah menjelaskan pemain-pemain yang dipilih akan menjalani latihan intensif itu di Akademi Badminton Malaysia (ABM).
#AWANI745
#AWANI745
Piala Asia B-23: Indonesia ajar Australia cara main bola
Walaupun Australia mendominasi perlawanan pada separuh masa kedua, kehandalan benteng pertahanan Indonesia mudah mematahkan serangan demi serangan.
Paderi terkemuka Australia ditikam ketika 'live streaming'
Pemimpin gereja itu dilihat rebah ke lantai dan kedengaran suara jeritan para pengikutnya yang kemudiannya menerpa ke arahnya untuk membantunya.
Beratus dipindahkan susulan banjir di Australia
Perintah supaya berpindah dikekalkan di beberapa pekan selepas hujan lebat dan angin kencang yang menggemparkan komuniti di barat Sydney.
Lawatan rasmi ke Australia dan Jerman turut jana potensi jualan eksport produk Malaysia - PM Anwar
Lawatan rasmi ke Australia dan Jerman baru-baru ini, selain mendatangkan keberhasilan yang positif dengan potensi pelaburan, ia juga telah menjana potensi jualan eksport produk Malaysia.
KESUMA anjur forum, pameran kerjaya berasaskan pekerjaan hijau
Forum bertujuan menggalakkan perkembangan pekerjaan hijau selari dengan keperluan pembangunan ekonomi yang terangkum dan persekitaran mapan.
Kabinet bincang tawaran anjur Sukan Komanwel esok
Kerajaan akan memperincikan mengenai cadangan penganjuran sukan Komanwel 2026 dalam mesyuarat Jemaah Menteri, esok.
'Dua tahun tak cukup buat persiapan Sukan Komanwel'
Katanya, tempoh dua tahun merupakan satu masa yang singkat buat negara untuk membuat persiapan menganjurkan temasya besar tersebut.
Majoriti pelaburan diluluskan dalam sektor pembuatan disumbang pengembangan operasi sedia ada - Tengku Zafrul
Majoriti pelaburan diluluskan dalam sektor pembuatan tahun lepas disumbang daripada pengembangan operasi perniagaan sedia ada.
Lihat Malaysia sebagai pelaburan paling utama, destinasi modal - Anwar
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menyeru komuniti pelaburan antarabangsa supaya melihat Malaysia sebagai pelaburan paling utama dan sebuah destinasi modal.
Malaysia, Australia jalin hubungan ekonomi lebih kukuh menerusi empat kerangka utama - Anwar
Anwar berkata hubungan ekonomi antara Australia dan Malaysia berkembang kukuh sejak beberapa tahun kebelakangan ini berdasarkan kepentingan geoekonomi bersama dan usaha memakmurkan serantau.