SYDNEY - China has lifted a ban on imports of Australian live rock lobsters, demolishing the final barrier in a broader, multibillion-dollar trade war between the countries.
Beijing has banned or slapped retaliatory tariffs on more than US$12-billion worth of Australian exports, from wine to timber, during years of soured ties with Canberra.
The lobster trade, worth US$500,000 a year, was the last of a number of major Australian exports to remain under sanctions after months of Australian diplomatic efforts.
"China has confirmed that our live rock lobster exports can recommence into China," Agriculture Minister Julie Collins told reporters.
"This is great news for our live rock lobster producers and fishers here in Australia, and importantly, it means that they can now apply for import permits to go back into this market."
Lobsters were the "last of those trade impediments" imposed by China, she added.
China introduced a de facto ban on live rock lobster in 2020 while denying the move -- and a raft of other punitive tariffs -- were linked to the worst crisis in relations in decades.
Beijing was enraged by Canberra's crackdown on Chinese foreign influence operations, the decision to block tech giant Huawei from running Australia's 5G network, and a call for an investigation into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in October that Beijing would let the lobsters back in after a meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Laos.
Albanese said the confirmation of that reopening was the result of his government's "calm and consistent" approach with China since his Labor Party came to power in May 2022.