“The new progress in Australia-China relations is encouraging. It is expected that the relationship between the two countries will continue to develop and pave the way for Geraldton to provide more high-quality products to Chinese customers,” a social media post quoted Mr Rutter and Mr Lenzo as saying.
Before 2020, about 97 per cent of Geraldton rock lobsters were exported to China, they said.
Mr Long said China’s post-pandemic economic rebound would inject “new impetus” into co-operation between Beijing and Perth. “Sino-Australian relations will surely achieve greater development, and the Geraldton Fishermen’s Co-operative will play a greater role in the fishery co-operation between the two countries,” he said, according to an English translation of the Chinese-language post.
Big business welcomed the move as another positive sign for trading with China. “We hope that the visit translates into something more tangible for lobster and other hard-hit sectors,” David Olsson, president of the Australia China Business Council said. “The events of the last few years have been very challenging for many Australian exporters.”
The move came amid further signs that China is preparing to relax restrictions on Australian coal imports.
The Wall Street Journal said customs officials in the southern province of Guangdong on Thursday received notice from the local government that they can clear Australian coal shipments.
A Chinese coal industry website reported late last week that the first batch of Australian coal was expected to arrive in China in late February.
“The bidding has started, the contracts have been signed, and the prices are relatively reasonable,” the social media account of commodities research group Liaodao reported, citing industry sources. It said coal from Australia was expected to arrive at a port in south-eastern China by the end of February.
It said that the first batch of coal would be relatively small, estimated at 500,000 tonnes.
Miners said last week they were confident China was close to lifting a two-year ban on Australian coal after four major importers – including power generators and one steel mill – were cleared to restart trade.
Meanwhile, China on Friday raised its import quota for Australian wool in 2023 from the previous year, the commerce ministry announced. It raised the quota to 42,213 tonnes from 40,203 tonnes. The increase was in line with Australia’s free trade agreement with China and similar to previous increases. Wool had not been targeted in the trade sanctions.
Chinese ambassador Mr Xiao said last week that Australian and Chinese trade negotiators in Geneva had begun discussing the possibility of Australia dropping its WTO challenge to China’s punitive tariffs on barley and wine, saying such a move would be a “good idea”.
While Mr Xiao did not confirm media reports earlier this month that China’s powerful National Development and Reform Commission had given approval to four major Chinese firms to import coal from Australia again, he hinted the unofficial ban was coming to an end.
“It’s for the companies to make their own decisions,” he said.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s trip to China in December marked the first such high-level visit in more than three years, making a new stage of relations between Canberra and Beijing. It followed a November meeting between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and China’s President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G20 in Indonesia.