Australia's 2020 request to conduct an international survey on the origin of crown diseases, and China began imposing unilateral trade sanctions on Australia since May of that year.The ban on lobster is not formal, but it is verbally conveyed to traders.According to the South China Morning Post, China is discussing the customs clearance of Australian lobster.
(Hong Kong / Bonn Comprehensive News) According to industry sources, China will lift the ban on imported Australian lobster.Some analysts believe that this may be that China takes the opportunity to seek Australia to support the addition of the Capital Pacific Partner Comprehensive Progress Agreement (CPTPP).
According to the South China Morning Post, Li Caihua, chairman of the Hong Kong Seafood Industry Federation, revealed that China is discussing the customs clearance of Australian lobster.He said: "There are no details yet, such as the exact timetable for allowing Australian products to enter the market, we have not seen the price of Hong Kong (lobster) fluctuating."
Australia requested that in 2020 after conducting an international investigation on the origin of crown diseases, China began imposing unilateral trade sanctions on Australia in May of that year, and prohibiting imports of beef, barley, cotton and other products from Australian companies.The ban on coal and lobster is not formal, but it is verbally conveyed to traders.
The Chinese ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, responded to Chinese products against Australian products at a press conference on January 10, saying that "there is no such thing."
As for the impact of the ban, industry insiders said that in the past few years, "smuggling lobster" from Australia in the past few years is high, which has led to market share loss.
Guangdong seafood importers revealed that the price of one kilogram of Australian lobster is about 3,000 yuan (about S $ 580), and many customers, especially young people, are replaced by other high products.
A restaurant owner in Shenzhen also said that despite the ban, Australian lobster can still be bought, but it is no longer the first choice for diners.Customers can now choose lobster in Cuba, Vietnam and China, and South America occupies a large part of the market share.
In 2019 before the ban was implemented, more than 90%of Australian rock lobster was exported to mainland China.Data from the Australian Ministry of Agriculture show that the market is worth about $ 750 million (S $ 695 million) each year.
For the news that the Australian lobster may be lifted, the former Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs official Justin Brown believes whether China will use Australia's support for Australia in CPTPP.
If Australian products are fully restored to import or affect the position of entering CPTPP in China
The Morrison government before the Australia has emphasized that as long as the trade barriers still exist, China will prevent China from applying.But the current Albanis government is slightly cautious in the tone of public language.
Brown believes that if China agrees to fully restore imports in Australian products, it may put pressure on Australia, so that Canberra has a less negative position to China to join CPTPP.
At present, the positive political atmosphere between China and Australia shows that the solution to the two parties to end trade restrictions will become reach.
Brown was an official of the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and is now the deputy secretary -general of the ministry and is responsible for supervising the trade and economic agenda.He has served as the chief negotiator of Australia in CPTPP negotiations and participated in a number of trade and climate change negotiations in his career.
