China-Australia trade ministers hold 1st meeting since 2019

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australian and Chinese trade ministers are holding their first bilateral meeting since 2019 as Australia urges China to lift barriers that are costing exporters $14 billion a year. Trade Minister Don Farrell held a teleconference from Australia’s Parliament House with his Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao on Monday. Farrell accepted Wang’s invitation to visit China but did not nominate a date. China has thawed its diplomatic freeze on Australia since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor Party was elected in May for the first time in nine years. Albanese has urged China to demonstrate good will to his administration by lifting trade restrictions on Australian exports including wine and coal.