By 2019 Australian wine will be sold without tariff in China. The lift on the tax is part of a major free-trade agreement the countries intend to sign, ten years in the making.
For the last ten years, Australia and China have been discussing the possibility of lifting trade restrictions and easing tariffs. China is Australia’s primary trade partner, so it makes sense that they would move toward less restricted trade. Two trends are helping – that of China’s rising middle class learning about and enjoying western wine, and the fact that many western wines are moving into eastern markets.