A Monash University expert is available to comment on the recent announcement that China has dropped its 80 per cent tariffs on Australian barley, after a long-running and high-profile trade war between the two nations.
Dr Elizabeth Sheargold, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Law, Monash University
Contact: +61 3 9903 4840 or media@monash.edu
The following can be attributed to Dr Sheargold:
“China’s decision to remove the tariffs it had been imposing on Australian barley imports since May 2020 reflects the easing of both economic and political tensions between the two countries.
“Australia and China had agreed in April this year to suspend the dispute being heard by the World Trade Organization (WTO) about the barley tariffs, just days before the WTO panel was expected to release its decision.
“With China having now decided to remove the duties, the countries have achieved a practical solution to the dispute which will allow Australian barley to re-enter the Chinese market much sooner than would have been possible if Australia had prevailed in the WTO dispute.
“While the WTO provides a forum for litigating international trade disputes, its preference is for WTO members to consult and reach cooperative solutions if possible. China’s review and removal of the barley tariffs is not just a win for Australian grain growers, it is also a win for those seeking to strengthen international institutions at a time of increased geopolitical and economic tension.”
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