Sydney —China has lifted bans on imports from five major Australian beef processing facilities, the Australian government said on Thursday, in the latest sign of improving relations between the two nations. The bans applied to certain abattoirs but did not affect others, which meant Australia was still able to ship beef to China. China was Australia’s second-biggest beef export market last year, receiving 240,000 tons worth around $1.6 billion, Australian trade data shows. They said China’s trade impediments at their height impacted Australian exports worth 20.6 billion Australian dollars ($13.6 billion). The reasons China gave for suspending the Australian beef processors were issues over labeling or contamination or cases of COVID-19 among their workers.

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Persons: ”, Matt Dalgleish, Dalgleish, “, Penny Wong, Don Farrell, Murray Watt Locations: Sydney — China, Beijing, China, Australia, Canberra, United States