Canberra/Tokyo | Australia has pushed back firmly on China’s calls for greater foreign investment access, with Trade Minister Don Farrell defending blocking purchases on national security grounds, while moving quickly to resolve biosecurity bottlenecks delaying electric vehicle imports by Chinese firms.

Returning from a major visit to Beijing without a breakthrough in the damaging tariff dispute, Senator Farrell said he’d achieved his intention of progressing a rapprochement and stabilisation of relations, as China pushed for full market access for its products into Australia and “fair” treatment by the federal government.