Will China lift its tariffs on Australian wine in June?

The former Australian Ambassador to China, Dr Geoff Raby, has told an event that China may lift its tariffs on Australian wine in the first half of the year, saying that the two countries were “on the right track”. But how likely is it?

Raby was Australia’s Ambassador to China from 2007-11, having also served as the ambassador and permanent representative to the WTO (1998-2001) and deputy secretary in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) from 2002-2006. He now runs a Beijing-based business firm advising Australian and Chinese businesses and is a known commentator on relations between the two countries, and critical of the Morrison government’s stance on China. He was speaking at an event organised by the China Australia Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by Australian wine exporter Auswan, according to Hong Kong based publication Vino Joy News.

Although Raby said that China could lift its punitive tariffs on Australian wine before the end of June, he never-the-less cautioned that the resumption of tariff-free wine trade under the previous Free Trade Agreement was also dependant on an ongoing WTO dispute between the two countries.

The WTO dispute was raised by Australia in June 2021, and an arbitration panel assembled in March 2022, however the panel does not expect to issue its final report before mid-2023.

To read full article, click HERE.