The federal government has denounced major tariffs China has imposed on Australian wines as a disproportionate and unwarranted attack on the industry.
Australian wine, starting from Saturday, will face effective tariffs of between 107 and 212 per cent after an anti-dumping investigation – putting $1.3 billion a year in exports to the industry’s biggest market at risk.
“They will have the effect of rendering largely unmarketable, unviable, the Chinese wine industry or the Chinese wine market,” Trade Minister Simon Birmingham said.
“The idea that Australia somehow subsidises our wine industry for it to be able to dump or sell its product below cost on international markets is a falsehood.
“It is wrong, and the findings of this preliminary investigation are erroneous in fact and in substance.”