FILE - Visitors wearing face masks walk past a display of Australian wines and other agricultural products at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, China, Nov. 5, 2020. China on Thursday, March 28, 2024, said it would lift tariffs placed on Australian wine over three years ago, in a sign of improving ties between Australia and China.(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
HONG KONG (AP) — China on Thursday said it will lift tariffs placed on Australian wine over three years ago, in a sign of improving ties between the two countries.
China’s Ministry of Commerce said the decision will take effect Friday.
In2020, the duties on Australian wine skyrocketed above 200%.
Australian wine producers took a heavy hit from the tariffs, as China was Australia’s top wine export destination.
The Australian government welcomed the decision, saying in a statement that the tariffs were lifted at a “critical time for the Australian wine industry.”
He Yadong, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce, said China and Australia are “each other’s important trade partners.”
“We are willing to work with Australia to resolve each other’s concerns through dialogue and consultation and jointly promote the stable and healthy development of bilateral economic and trade relations,” He said.
The trade in 2019, before the tariffs were in place, was worth 1.1 billion Australian dollars ($710 million) a year to the local economy
香港（美联社）
中国周四表示，将取消三年前对澳大利亚葡萄酒征收的关税终止对原产于澳大利亚的进口相关葡萄酒征收反倾销税；终止征收反倾销税后，不征收反补贴税”，这是两国关系改善的迹象。中国商务部表示，该决定将于周五生效。
2020 年，澳大利亚葡萄酒关税飙升至200%以上。由于中国是澳大利亚最大的葡萄酒出口目的地，澳大利亚葡萄酒生产商受到关税的沉重打击。
澳大利亚政府对这一决定表示欢迎，并在声明中表示，关税的取消是在“澳大利亚葡萄酒行业的关键时刻”。
中国商务部发言人何亚东表示，中国和澳大利亚互为重要贸易伙伴。我们愿与澳方一道，通过对话协商解决彼此关切，共同促进双边经贸关系稳定健康发展。
