China slaps up to 200% tariffs on Australian wine as relations nosedive

China is set to impose anti-dumping duties of more than 100 per cent on Australian wine from this weekend, adding to a series of sweeping trade reprisals this year and further escalating tensions with Canberra.
 

The anti-dumping deposits will take effect November 28 and range from 107.1 per cent to 212.1 per cent, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said. Australia responded by warning Beijing that its actions could create a perception among businesses and countries around the world that trade with China is risky.

 

The duties come just three months after China started an investigation into Australian wine, and follows a raft of other measures barring imports from coal to copper to barley this year. China is the biggest buyer of Australian wine, importing $880 million in the year through September, according to government marketing body Wine Australia. That’s 167 per cent more than the value of exports to its next biggest market, the US.
 

“Certain people in Australia have clung to a Cold War mentality and ideological biases,” Chinese spokesman Zhao Lijian said.

“They have taken China’s development as a threat and taken a series of erroneous deeds and words. This is the reason why China and Australian relations have taken a nosedive and are now stuck in the current difficult situation.”