Australian Lobster Halted by Chinese Customs Checks, Fuels Trade Dispute Concerns

Australian Lobster Halted by Chinese Customs Checks, Fuels Trade Dispute Concerns
Cooked lobsters for sale in the auction house at the Sydney Fish Market in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 23, 2014. Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images
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SYDNEY—Australia has stopped sending rock lobster to its biggest market of China after new Chinese customs inspections were imposed on the live seafood, an industry group and the Australian government said.

The new inspection delays come amid diplomatic tensions between the two nations, raising concerns in Australia that the live seafood trade will be the latest sector targeted for trade reprisals from Beijing.