Australia, China to Settle Wine, Wind Tower Tariff Disputes

Australia and China officially agreed to resolve World Trade Organization disputes over Chinese duties on Australian wine and Australian duties on Chinese wind towers, China’s Commerce Ministry said Oct. 22. The two sides “conducted friendly consultations under the WTO framework on WTO dispute” and “have reached consensus on properly resolving them,” a ministry spokesperson said, according to an unofficial translation. “We are willing to work with Australia to continue to meet each other halfway through dialogue and consultation, and jointly promote the stable and healthy development of bilateral economic and trade relations.”

The announcement came days after Australia's antidumping commission recommended against renewing antidumping duties on wind towers (see 2310190023). The country earlier this year said it had hoped to pursue dialogue with Beijing to resolve a separate WTO dispute on Chinese duties on Australian wine (see 2309250016).