China to lift restrictions on Australian lobsters

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said China has agreed to lift restrictions on lobster imports by the end of the year, removing one of the last trade barriers imposed by Beijing during a period of tension between the nations. The rock lobster trade would resume “in time for Chinese New Year,” Albanese said after a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang (李強) in Laos yesterday, referring to the Lunar New Year that is to fall in late January. RELATIONSHIP “We have continued to stabilize the relationship without compromising on any of Australia’s national interests,” Albanese said at a news conference. “With our patient, calibrated and deliberate approach, we’ve restored Australian trade with our largest export market,” he said. A restoration of the lobster trade between Australia and China would effectively signal the end of more than four years of economic tensions between the two governments. Beijing imposed curbs on a range of Australian products including barley, wine, ...