2012/704 Improving trade and market access to the People's Republic of China for Australian rocklobster and abalone industries

By Sam Guthrie

The rocklobster and abalone trade to China experienced significant disruptions in 2010 as Chinese authorities cracked down on the indirect trade between Hong Kong and mainland China. Losses of income were experienced by many Australian exporters due to this activity, and the tightening of Chinese customs regulations that followed. Attempts by some Australian industry stakeholders to secure Australian Government advocacy in support of the indirect trade strained relationships between industry and the bureaucracy.

In 2012 the rocklobster and abalone industries concluded that professional engagement with the Australian Government was needed to address obstacles to trade impeding the direct trade to China.

Central to this engagement would be industry’s capacity to provide government negotiators with a clear and unified trade agenda as well as the commercial intelligence it required to lobby on behalf of Australian industry for greater access to mainland markets.

Three Seafood CRC participants joined forces to undertake research to better understand the current trade arrangements in the China market, how these arrangements could change in the future, and how industry could better partner with the Australian government to advocate for increased market access to mainland China.

The aim was to produce a report suitable for use by the Australian lobster and abalone industries, Australian government agencies and the CRC that:

• Describes the details of the current trade policy instruments and procedures applicable to lobster and abalone imports to China
• Describes issues identified by Australian exporters that might be resolved through trade negotiations
• Comments on the status of any inter-government negotiations to change Australia – China trade conditions and recommendations for short, medium and long term opportunities for improvement
• Contains an analysis of the impact of the New Zealand - China Free Trade Agreement on the lobster and abalone industries and an assessment of the likely impact of an Australia – China Free Trade Agreement