Australian PM ‘Hopes’ China’s Barley Probe Isn’t Retaliation for Virus Investigation

Australian PM ‘Hopes’ China’s Barley Probe Isn’t Retaliation for Virus Investigation
Farmer inspects a dead Barley crop on his farm in Parkes, Australia, on Oct. 25, 2006. Ian Waldie/Getty Images
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Prime Minister Scott Morrison has refuted claims that China’s proposed barley levy is a response from the communist regime for Australia’s efforts to gather international support for an investigation into the origins and handling of the CCP virus.

For the past 18 months, China has been investigating, through its version of an anti-dumping commission, whether Australia was dumping barley into its market in order to gain a larger market share in China. Australian farmers have accused China of intentionally dragging out the investigation for political reasons.