Sunday, 14 May 2023
The Shadow Minister for Trade and Tourism has expressed his deep disappointment that the Trade Minister’s visit to China has not delivered any relief from China’s punitive, unfair, and illegal trade sanctions on Australia exports.
“I publicly supported the Trade Minister’s visit to China as a positive step in the trade relationship thaw but nevertheless, join the many exporters who are disappointed that it delivered no dividend in sanction relief,” Mr Hogan said.
“Australia has been a good faith actor in its engagement with China, reflecting the importance of the trade relationship and the longevity of our diplomatic relations.
“This includes the Albanese Government’s recent decision to stay the WTO barley dispute resolution process.
“I join with the Trade Minister in asking the Chinese government to go one step further from enhance dialogue and remove the sanctions.
Mr Hogan acknowledged the Trade Minister’s visit as the first since 2019 and a step forward in its own right.
“When the Coalition was in government, we never wanted to stop talking to the Chinese government.
“What we wanted then and what we want now is for our relationship to reflect the very best of our two nations.
“Let’s not forget that China is still Australia’s biggest export customer, taking over 30% of our exports. The products we send are important to China’s economy and the well-being of its citizens.
“These are two very strong reasons to believe that we should be able discuss our differences without using trade as an impeachment tool.
“I look forward to meeting with the Trade Minister to get a first-hand account of his visit and clarity on the next steps towards the complete removal of the trade sanctions.”
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