UK MPs join push to support Australian wine in face of China tariffs
British MPs have backed a call to support Australian wine, after China slapped 212 per cent tariffs on imports of the product.
The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (Ipac), which involves MPs from across the world, is calling for people to buy and drink Australian wine this month.
America’s National Security Centre has also shown solidarity for the Australians in their China row by planning to only use wine made downunder at an upcoming event.
Included in Ipac is Tory MP Sir Iain Duncan Smith and his call to stand in solidarity with Australia has been heeded by Conservative MPs Craig Mackinlay, Tom Tugendhat and Mark Pritchard.
Mackinlay, MP for South Thanet, tweeted today: “Substituting just one bottle of wine this month for one from Australia will send a clear signal that we stand together and won’t be bullied.”
Before the Open newsletter: Start your day with the City View podcast and key market data
China slapped the massive tariffs on Australian winemakers in retaliation to alleged “dumping”, which is when a country’s businesses lower their prices in an attempt to unfairly increase exports.
However, Australian authorities said there was no evidence of this and that it is in fact a retaliation for the government calling out Chinese human rights abuses over the past year.
Australia exports more goods and services to China than to any other country and is the Commonwealth country’s largest trading partner.
Tony Battaglene, chief executive of Australian Grape and Wine, told CNN: “We were surprised, we were shocked.
“Having the extent of these interim tariffs, I mean essentially they will close the market to Australian bottled wine, to premium wine, in China. There’s no way that we can compete at those levels.”
It is not the first time the Chinese government has aggressively implemented tariffs on Australian goods in retaliation for being called out on its breaches of human rights.
In July, Beijing doubled tariffs on Australian beef exports after Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an international inquiry on China’s handling of coronavirus.