China-Australia relations: Beijing slaps ‘distressing’ duties of up to 212 per cent on Australian wine imports
- China’s commerce ministry says it will impose temporary anti-dumping measures on Australian wine imports from Saturday
- Australia agriculture minister David Littleproud responds by saying ‘the Australian government will vigorously defend the industry’
China’s commerce ministry said on Friday that it will impose temporary anti-dumping measures on Australian wine imports from Saturday.
The duties will range from 107.1 to 212.1 per cent, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday.
The commerce ministry said in a statement announcing the measures that “there is a causal relationship between [wine] dumping and material damage”.
China is the biggest destination for Australia‘s wine exports, accounting for 39 per cent of total shipments in the first nine months of 2020, according to Wine Australia, an industry body.
“This is a very distressing time for many hundreds of Australian wine producers, who have built, in good faith, a sound market in China,” Australia trade minister Simon Birmingham told Australia media on Friday.
We’re deeply concerned by this. In light of the recent comments by China, it gives the perception this decision is predicated on something other than any wrongdoing by the wine industry
“The Australian government will vigorously defend the industry,” agriculture minister David Littleproud said on Friday.
