Canberra | Chinese importers have been urging Australian winegrowers to get shipments into the country within the next week as fears grow that Beijing will impose tariffs on $1.2 billion of exports as early as Sunday.

While the Chinese government has not signalled tariffs were imminent, the industry is rife with gossip that Beijing could move early. The first trigger point for China to impose tariffs under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules is October 18, which is 60 days after the launch of an anti-dumping investigation into Australian wine.