AUSTRALIA urged China to lift sanctions on several export products as both sides make efforts to improve bilateral ties and ease trade tensions.
Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell asked his counterpart Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao to lift restrictions on Australian lobster, wine, and meat exports.
Farrell made the request concerning tariffs on the sidelines of a World Trade Organization ministerial conference in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi.
The meeting sparked hopes China will lift sanctions on Australian wine worth $1 billion by the end of March.
Farrell also raised the case of detained Australian writer Yang Henjun who was handed a suspended death sentence by a court in Beijing earlier this month after being found guilty on espionage charges.
In December, China lifted restrictions on imports of meat from three slaughterhouses.
In that same month, the Chinese government also announced the end of its import ban on Australian barley.
China last year agreed to launch a five-month review into the tariffs on Australian exports which is due to end on March 31, 2024.
Beijing agreed to expedite the review of tariffs in exchange for Australia suspending its dispute filed before the World Trade Organization or WTO.
The trade war between the two countries escalated at the height of the pandemic in 2020 but most of the restrictions imposed on Australian products have been removed since last year.
Farrell said Australia will renew its WTO action if China does not lift the sanctions by next month.
