Australia: WTO should punish Beijing

The trade dispute between Australia and China continues to escalate. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called on the World Trade Organization (WTO) to punish the People’s Republic. China de facto stopped imports of Australian barley in May 2020 by imposing tariffs of more than 80 percent. The Chinese government accused Australia of using government subsidies to encourage barley production, thus flouting WTO rules. But the real reason is likely to be the Australian government’s accusation of Beijing for preventing an independent investigation into the origins of the Covid virus.