Issue: 013: AUSTRALIA’S NO TO CHINA: Prime Minister Morrison has flagged Australia is unlikely to support China’s bid to join the CPTPP FTA. He told a news conference this week that those seeking to become part of a high standard agreement like CPTPP would not want to have a track record of coercing other trade partners. WTO LAUNCHES VACCINE TRADE TRACKER: The Word Trade Organization and International Monetary Fund have this week launched a new vaccine trade tracker. The tracker…
PBEC Trade Report
Issue: 012: AUSTRALIA-EU TRADE TALKS DELAYED: A 12th round of Australia-EU FTA talks has now been delayed until February 2022. They were to be held in October but were delayed for a month following the cancellation of a submarine contract with France. In the meantime, chief negotiators will meet in December. CHINA MAKES FURTHER TARIFF PLEA: China’s Vice Premier Liu has again used a high-level US call to seek the removal of additional tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration. Liu’s…
Issue: 011: CHINA REACTS TO TAIWAN’S FTA BID: China has responded strongly to Taiwan’s bid to become a member of the CPTPP FTA. Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao said in Beijing China firmly opposed official interactions with Taiwan and rejected its accession to any agreement or organization of an official nature. JAPANESE AMBASSADOR TALKS FTA WITH AUSTRALIA: Japan’s Ambassador to Australia Shingo Yamagami met with Trade Minister Tehan earlier in the week. In what Yamagami-san later described on Twitter as a…
Issue: 010: AUSTRALIA INTRODUCES RCEP LEGISLATION: Legislation to enable the ratification of the RCEP FTA has been introduced to the Australian Parliament. This followed a recommendation by the Treaties Committee that Australia ratify the mega (ASEAN + Australia, China, Japan, Korea and NZ) free trade agreement. UK FACES KEY ASIA PACIFIC MEETING: The CPTPP Accession Working Group’s first meeting to consider the UK’s bid to join the mega trade agreement will be held in the coming weeks. This follows last…
Issue: 009: AUSTRALIA’S WINE APPEAL BEGINS: Australia’s complaint action at the WTO over China’s anti-dumping duties on wine is underway. Consultations between the two economies were held on August 9. A Dispute Panel will next hear and rule on a complaint by Australia that China has breached global trade rules. NEW ZEALAND APPOINTS NEW TRADE GROUP: Trade Minister O’Connor has appointed a new Trade Ministerial Advisory Group to advise on the implementation of the government’s “Trade for All” policy agenda….
Issue: 008: APEC LEADERS SEEK REFUGE IN TRADE FOR COVID RECOVERY: Leaders of the APEC economies have met virtually on 16th July and agreed to work together to facilitate the movement of goods and services. In a post-meeting statement, they acknowledged the importance of trade in combatting the far-reaching impacts of COVID-19. TRUMP’S CHINA TARIFFS NEAR $100 BILLION: US Customs trade statistics have reported $96 billion of penalty duties on goods from China since President Trump imposed Section 301 penalties….
Issue: 007: AUSTRALIA & UK CONCLUDE FTA: Prime Ministers Morrison and Johnson have reached an agreement in principle for an historic bilateral FTA. The FTA was reached over dinner at 10 Downing Street. The FTA is the UK’s first comprehensive trade agreement since leaving the EU. It expected to come into force in 2022. AUSTRALIAN FARMERS TO PROGRESSIVELY GET BETTER ACCESS: Australian farmers will progressively get better market access to the UK under the bilateral FTA. British farmers will be…
Issue: 006: AUSTRALIA KEEPS UP WTO ENGAGEMENT: Foreign Minister Payne has met with WTO director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to discuss the economic response to COVID-19, equitable vaccine access and women’s economic security. Trade Minister Tehan and the new global trade leader met three weeks ago. INDIA & UNITED KINGDOM LAUNCH TRADE PARTNERSHIP: Prime Ministers Modi and Johnson met virtually during the week and launched an Enhanced Trade Partnership. They agreed to work on a path toward a comprehensive FTA and established…
Issue: 006: AUSTRALIA INVITES RCEP SUBMISSIONS: The Australian Parliament’s Joint Treaties Committee has invited public submissions as part of its ratification review of the ASEAN+5 RCEP FTA. Submissions to the parliamentary committee are due by April 16. Japan’s Parliament has also begun its ratification. BIDEN DEMANDS BUY AMERICAN FOCUS: President Biden has this week directed each of his Cabinet to examine their department expenditures and to ensure they were following the new administration’s Buy American Policy. The Buy American Policy…
Issue: 005: AUSTRALIA’S CHINA WINE DISPUTE HEADED TO WTO: A WTO Dispute Panel is likely now that China has hiked five-year anti-dumping duties on Australian wine to between 116 and 218 per cent. Trade Minister Tehan described China’s action as “extremely disappointing and completely unjustifiable.” AUSTRALIAN PRODUCERS RESPOND TO CHINA HIT: Australian wine producers are responding to China’s anti-dumping duties by chasing new markets. Industry leader Tony Battaglane said wine producers would now focus on growing demand for Australian wine…