Trade
China to Immediately Allow Australian Timber Imports in Latest Sign of Thawing Ties
- Restart of trade follows trade ministers’ meeting this month
- Timber trade was worth $1.1 billion before 2020 restrictions
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In the latest sign of a thaw in economic and diplomatic relations, Australian timber exports to China will be allowed to resume immediately after more than two years of restrictions.
The timber industry has been given the green light to restart trade, China’s ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian announced in Canberra Thursday. The trade was halted in 2020 after China said it had found pests in some shipments, but the concerns among China’s quarantine officials had been soothed after “serious study” of materials provided by Australian exporters, Xiao said.