China Australia Photo: CFP

China said on Wednesday it welcomes World Trade Organization (WTO)'s ruling on the country's anti-dumping complaint against Australia, while calling for the Australian side to meet China halfway to jointly safeguard multilateral trade system and boost healthy development of China-Australia economic and trade relations.

A WTO panel on Tuesday said that Australia's anti-dumping measures on Chinese railway wheels, wind towers and stainless steel sinks are in violation of WTO rules. 

China welcomes WTO panel's "objective and fair ruling," a spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Tuesday.

The ruling is clear, and Australia's anti-dumping measures on related Chinese products are discriminatory and wrong, and China hopes that the Australian side can respect the ruling, correct its unlawful practices by removing tariffs on the Chinese products and strictly comply with WTO rules, the spokesperson said, according to a statement on the MOFCOM website.

The spokesperson said that it is hoped that Australia can meet China halfway to jointly safeguard multilateral trade system and boost healthy development of China-Australia economic and trade relations.

Australia's Trade Minister Don Farrell said in a statement on Wednesday that the Australian government accepts the ruling of the WTO panel. "Australia will engage with China and take steps to implement the panel's findings," Farrell said.

"The report does not diminish the integrity of Australia's trade remedies system. Our system is evidence-based and non-discriminatory and will continue to respond effectively to unfair trade practices," Farrell added.

China lodged the complaint to the WTO in June 2021 amid a downturn in China-Australia relations during the previous Morrison government.

Since taking office in 2022, the current Albanese government has remedied its predecessor's irrational anti-China policies, prompting a positive response from the Chinese side. Hence, bilateral ties have gradually bottomed out and stabilized.

Recently, the Australian Anti-dumping Commission released a final ruling notice, announcing the decision to terminate anti-dumping measures on wind towers imported from China, which are due to expire on April 16, 2024.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has been on a trip to New Zealand and Australia since March 18, his first trip to the two countries in seven years, which is expected to solidify and promote healthy bilateral ties while managing differences and attempting to dispel noises from third parties.

During Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's latest visit to Canberra, he said the two sides should build on the sound momentum of bilateral relations, "work together for the future," and take a more active attitude to jointly build a more mature, stable and fruitful comprehensive strategic partnership.

"Independence should also be an important principle of Australia's foreign policy. The development of China-Australia relations does not target any third party, nor should it be influenced or disturbed by any third party," Wang said.

In the first two months of 2024, bilateral trade dropped by 2.9 percent year-on-year to $37.03 billion, according to data released by Chinese customs on March 7.

Global Times