China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Friday it would drop anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs on Australian barley imports that had been in place for three years affecting billions of dollars of trade, as the two nations repair strained ties, reports Nikkei Asia. China and Australia agreed in April to resolve their dispute over barley imports, with Canberra to suspend a case at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Beijing’s anti-dumping and countervailing duties on barley, while China promised to speed up a review into the tariffs.
The tariffs will be dropped starting on Saturday, China’s Ministry of Commerce said, citing a changing situation in China’s barley market without providing further details.
The barley decision puts a spotlight on the few remaining Australian products restricted by China, including wine, which also faces tariffs, as well as unofficial restrictions on lobster and meat exports from certain abattoirs.