China, accusing Australia of playing "petty tricks", has recently suspended beef imports from four of Australia's largest meat processors and is considering imposing hefty tariffs on imports of barley. Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham has requested discussions on the trade issues with his Chinese counterpart, he said in a television interview on the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) on Sunday. "That request has not been met with a call being accommodated at this stage," he said on the ABC's 'Insiders' programme. Birmingham said Australia reserved its rights to bring a case against China at the World Trade Organisation if Beijing imposed the tariffs on Australian barley. Australia has so far succeeded in containing the pandemic with swift and strict, albeit economically very costly, social distancing measures and aggressive testing.

Source: bd News24 May 17, 2020 04:41 UTC