SYDNEY: The Australian government on Tuesday (Dec 12) said that three of the country's abattoirs will be allowed to export beef to China again amid an easing of trade tensions between the two countries, according to media reports.
The majority of Australia's abattoirs will remain on China's trade blacklist, media including Australian broadcaster ABC and newswire AAP reported.
Since 2020, 10 Australian abattoirs have been suspended from trade with China, ABC reported. Beijing alleges the exporters have wrongly labelled meat or contaminated it.
The move is "another positive step towards the stabilisation of our relationship with China," Trade Minister Don Farrell told ABC. "The Albanese government will keep pressing for the remaining trade impediments to be removed as soon as possible."
Beijing has recently lifted tariffs on Australian products including barley. Last month Canberra also reached a deal with Beijing that could lead to the lifting of anti-dumping duties on wine introduced in 2020.
At the time relations between the two countries had become increasingly strained. Beijing was angered by Canberra banning Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei from setting up a 5G network in Australia.
China imposed punitive tariffs on Australian wine among a string of trade tariffs and customs delays on several other Australian exports - including barley, beef and coal. The tariff of more than 80% on Australian barley was scrapped in August. Sanctions on rock lobsters exports remain.
Relations have improved since Labor's Anthony Albanese replaced conservative Scott Morrison as prime minister in 2022.
China is Australia's largest trading partner, amounting to almost a third of the country's total trade. - dpa
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