Pic – businessstandard.com.au
“Australia’s body is in Asia, but its mind is in the West” – the statement said to be made by a Chinese academic underlines the growing strain between China and Australia relations off late.
The political bickering between the two nations is also having a fallout on Australian wine exports to China. As per some reports Australian wines are deliberately being delayed at Chinese ports for additional verification – a claim which China officially denies.
It is pertinent to highlight that after the Free Trade Agreement, Australian wine exports to China are on a rise and presently Australia is the second largest wine exporter to China after France.
With Australian wine makers betting big on China markets, the growing of discomfort and a Cold War attitude between the two nations is worrisome.
To counter the negative sentiment, Australian wine industry had sent a big team to the recently concluded Vinexpo at Hong Kong to interact with Chinese customers. To their satisfaction they did find Chinese consumer interest in Australian wines intact and positive.
Ultimately it all depends on the political will of the two nations to resolve their differences. And doing so would certainly boost the wine trade between the two countries. For the present however, it is wait and watch time.