One day after China imposed preliminary antidumping duties on Australian wine, Australian trade officials said they intend to launch a World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute targeting earlier duties China levied on imports of barley.
The events mark the latest salvos in an intensifying trade and diplomatic row between the two countries. Asked about prospects for bringing a WTO dispute against China over the 80.5% barley duties, Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham told reporters Sunday (November 29) “I expect that will be the outcome.”
Australia is currently “working through exactly when and making sure we have the evidence lined up,” Birmingham said of a WTO complaint. “Last week, through the trading goods committee at the WTO, Australia outlined seriously our range of concerns in terms of this accumulation of instances from China of adverse trade decisions against Australia,” he detailed.
The wine duties, however, are not expected to be part of any initial WTO dispute, Birmingham noted.