China welcomes back timber imported from Australia after trade restrictions

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong delivers a lecture at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, on July 6, 2022. (File photo from IISS)

MANILA, Philippines — Australian timber exports now “can return to China” following trading curbs that Beijing previously enforced, according to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.

“I was very pleased last night to be notified that we’ve seen movement in terms of timber trade,” Wong said in a Thursday press briefing with the Department of Foreign Affairs.

“Our officials were notified last night that Australian timber can return to China. That was confirmed by the Chinese ambassador in Canberra this morning,” reported the Australian official.

Besides timber, Australian wine, beef, barley, coal, seafood exports to China were hit by trade curbs in 2020. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute also reported that Australia was the top target of Chinese trading blocks from 2020 to 2022.

Wong shared that the current Australian government has discussed “stabilizing” ties with China since it took office, asserting that both countries must “manage differences wisely.”

“We have engaged with our counterparts at foreign minister level, leader level, and trade minister level. We have made clear that we hope that there is the removal of the trade impediments that have been imposed in this relationship. We’ve made it clear to China that we think it’s in both country’s interests for those trade impediments to be removed,” she said.

Australia is among the Philippines’ partners in increasing maritime security in the West Philippine Sea, where Beijing’s vessels continue to flock despite the 2016 arbitral ruling rejecting its claim over the waters.

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