White House chides China over Australian wine

The Trump administration needles China for its heavy-handed imposition of tariffs on Australian wine.

Australian wine will be featured at a White House holiday reception this week.

The Trump administration has chided China for its heavy-handed imposition of tariffs on Australian wine, saying it will feature Aussie labels at a White House function this week.

It comes amid deep concern in Washington about the sharp deterioration in Australia-China relations after Beijing tweeted a doctored image of an Australian soldier holding a bloody knife to the throat of an Afghan child.

Australian wine will be featured at a White House holiday reception this week. Pity vino lovers in China who, due to Beijing’s coercive tariffs on Aussie vintners, will miss out. #AussieAussieAussieOiOiOi!

— NSC (@WHNSC) December 1, 2020

The State Department has been angered by the image and is debating how it will respond to China’s provocation which has sparked widespread outrage in Australia.

Meanwhile the White House National Security Council took aim at China over its decision to slap heavy tariffs on Australian wine imports.

“Australian wine will be featured at a White House holiday reception this week,’ the White House National Security Council tweeted.

“Pity vino lovers in China who, due to Beijing’s coercive tariffs on Aussie vintners, will miss out. #AussieAussieAussieOiOiOi!’

The NSC’s message of support follows Beijing’s decision to impose tariffs of up to 212 per canton Australian wine imports to China.