A World Trade Organization (WTO) panel has determined that duties imposed by Australia in a steel products dispute with China were flawed, a ruling that Canberra has acknowledged and accepted. The complaint, launched by China in June 2021 amid heightened bilateral political and trade tensions, targeted anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures applied to railway wheels, wind towers, and stainless steel sinks. The WTO panel found that Australia’s Anti-Dumping Commission (ADC) had acted inconsistently with certain rules in all three product categories.
Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell stated that the panel identified technical issues in the calculation of duties and affirmed Australia’s commitment to engage with China and implement the panel’s findings. While emphasizing the integrity of Australia’s trade remedies system as evidence-based and non-discriminatory, Farrell assured that the system would continue to address unfair trade practices effectively. China welcomed the WTO’s ruling as objective, fair, and unambiguous, urging Australia to rectify the alleged “violations” by removing the disputed tariffs imposed on Chinese steel products.
Canberra had imposed duties ranging from 10.9% on wind towers to up to 60.2% on stainless steel sinks. The ongoing efforts to rebuild ties between Australia and China, its largest trading partner, have seen progress in resolving trade disputes, including the recent resolution of conflicts such as high Chinese tariffs on Australian barley. Additionally, China is conducting a review of tariffs on Australian wine and considering adjustments to restrictions on lobster imports, as confirmed by Farrell earlier this month.