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Australian agriculture firms brace for Chinese government ‘roadblocks’ and job losses from trade row
- Survey by Australian Chamber of Commerce finds more than 73 per cent of wine industry respondents fear job losses
- AustCham says there are consequences for the relationship from Australia’s decision to review foreign investments on national security grounds
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Keegan Elmerin Beijing
Australian agriculture companies in China are bracing for job losses and “roadblocks” from the Chinese government, as business ties between the two nations sour, according to a new report.
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The results of a survey by the Australian Chamber of Commerce have been published as Australia further curbed foreign investment and responded to escalating tariffs and as Australia and China edged closer to an open trade war.
“Our members are fearful of significant job losses to come, particularly from those in the wine industry, as Chinese imports from Australia are curtailed,” said AustCham CEO Nick Coyle in a statement issued alongside the report on Tuesday.
More than half the 46 companies surveyed believed that a decrease in exports would cause job losses. The fears were stronger in the wine industry, where 73 per cent of respondents feared job losses. The survey was conducted between September and November, a period in which bilateral ties declined.
Australian agriculture products have faced tariffs and other restrictions as the overall relationship dipped in a series of diplomatic rows.
In November, China placed tariffs of up to 212 per cent on Australian wine imports, crushing business for the country’s winemakers.
Beijing has also targeted a number of other Australian agricultural exports, such as beef, citing incorrect labelling and product descriptions on imported products.
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