Chalmers urges China to end bans imposed during Coalition rule

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has urged Beijing to reverse all trade restrictions it put in place under the former Coalition government.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers would welcome China lifting bans on Australian coal exports. Picture: Made NagI/Pool/AFP

Jim Chalmers says he would welcome China lifting bans on Australian coal exports, urging Beijing to reverse all trade restrictions it put in place under the former Coalition government.

Shares in Australian coal producers surged last week as speculation grew that the Chinese government would soon end its blacklisting of Australian coal.

While China has never officially stopped the import of Australian coal, restrictions put in place in 2020 saw millions of tonnes of thermal and metallurgical coal sitting off major Chinese ports as Beijing reacted angrily to the federal government’s push for an international inquiry into the origins of Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, the Treasurer said it would be good news if Chinese authorities relaxed restrictions on Australian coal.

“Clearly, that would be good news for our exporters, and we'd like to see it happen,” Dr Chalmers said.

“We’ve made it clear, really, for the whole duration, so far, of this government, that an important part of stabilising relations with China is to see some of those sanctions lifted on our employers here in Australia.

“So that would be a welcome step, but it‘s not yet been officially confirmed. We would like to see it happen.

“And we’d like to see it not stop there. It should extend to the restrictions that are placed on some of our other exports as well in the interests of our employers and our exporters here in Australia.”

Diplomatic relations between Beijing and Canberra are beginning to thaw after Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles met with his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe in June on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore for “full and frank” discussions.

The meeting ended nearly three years without high-level ministerial contact in what has been the most turbulent period in relations since 1972.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton on Sunday backed the government’s efforts in reopening talks with China, but said it must hold Beijing to account over human rights abuses and demand it wind back its rapid military expansion.

Mr Dutton said Australia was facing the “most precarious” set of strategic circumstances since World War II, as the Chinese government ramps up its accumulation of nuclear weapons.

Speaking from Washington, where he was attending the Australian American Leadership Dialogue, Mr Dutton also rejected comments from Mr Marles, who said climate change was a greater threat to the Pacific than Chinese military aggression.

Mr Dutton said Mr Marles’ position was in “complete defiance” of intelligence.

“We can‘t continue to talk while China continues to amass nuclear weapons,” Mr Dutton told Sky News.

“I’m fine to say that if the government’s got a dialogue and it’s a productive dialogue, then, of course, it should be pursued. But if we’re just being handled, then that’s not a productive use of time.

“The Australian government needs to be serious in the discussions and we need to ask China to explain the human rights abuses, and to explain what’s happening in relation to their military build-up, the attack on the P-8 surveillance aircraft only a couple of weeks ago, (and) the surveillance of one of our ships within that contested area.”