China is curbing imports of more and more Australian goods

THE ROW is already six months old and is steadily intensifying. In May China imposed an 80% tariff on imports of Australian barley and restrictions on imports of Australian beef. More recently shipments of Australian lobsters have been subject to delays. Aussie wine has been formally threatened with higher tariffs. The Chinese authorities are reportedly discouraging firms from buying Australian coal, cotton and timber. There are fears that more Australian goods will soon feel the squeeze. On November 9th Australia’s trade minister, Simon Birmingham, said that rumours of an outright, if unofficial, ban on seven big exports did not appear to be correct.