The Australian government has confirmed that China’s suspension of five meat processing establishments has been lifted with immediate effect.
Eight beef processing facilities have now had suspensions lifted, while two facilities remain suspended.
In a joint statement from the Australian minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong; minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell; and minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt, the lifting of the suspension was announced today (Thursday, May 30).
Watt previously said the suspensions were put in place in relation “to reports of COVID amongst the workforce”.
He also said that while Australia “got COVID under control, the Chinese authorities continued to suspend those establishments for COVID infections”.
In the joint statement, they stated the government will “continue to press China to remove the remaining trade impediments”.
The progress so far “affirms the calm and consistent approach taken by the Albanese Labor government,” they added.
Trade impediments imposed by China prior to the May 2022 election resulted in a $20.6 billion reduction in exports.
China’s progressive removal of impediments since then, including today’s announcement, means less than AUD $1 billion worth of exports remain impeded.
The Australian ministers said the lifting of impediments has already had “a real-world impact to the tune of more than AUD $11.5 billion for Australian barley, cotton, oaten hay, wine, coal, copper ores and timber logs”.
They added the “Australian government’s approach is to cooperate with China where we can, disagree where we must and engage in our national interest”.
The joint statement announced: “Trade diversification is a key element of the government’s trade policy strategy. The government will continue to support Australian businesses to sell their world-class products on the global stage.”
In December 2023, China’s Customs agency (GACC) announced trade-related suspensions were lifted for three of the largest Australian meat export establishments.
The suspensions were implemented in mid-2020 and early-2022.