A visit by China’s most senior diplomat in Western Australia to the world’s largest exporter of Australian rock lobsters this week has raised hopes that Beijing will also lift its unofficial ban on seafood imports after coal was seemingly the first to benefit from the easing of political and trade tensions with Canberra.

Long Dingbin, China’s envoy at its consulate in Perth, visited the Geraldton Fishermen’s Cooperative on Tuesday, just days after it was reported China had lifted its unofficial ban on imports of Australian thermal and coking coal that had been in place since 2020.

The visit took place on the same day Chinese ambassador to Australia, Xiao Qian, said that China and Australia will “come back to a normal kind of relationship”, while it could also pave the way for Australian trade minister Don Farrell to visit Beijing later this year.

I believe that there will be further development between the two countries with efforts being put in by both sides,

Long Dingbin

“I believe that there will be further development between the two countries with efforts being made by both sides, and the Geraldton Fishermen’s Cooperative will play a bigger role for the fishery industry of both nations,” Long said, according to the consulate official WeChat account.

Long added that he hoped the cooperative would cement its confidence in working with China through utilizing platforms including the international import and export expos.

Expectations that Beijing will soon lift its unofficial restrictions on Australia rock lobsters further demonstrate the resumption of trade ties between China and Australia, according to analysts.

Last week, it was reported that China’s state planner, the National Development and Reform Commission, had held talks with four state-owned importers over a partial lifting of the verbal ban on Australian coal.“Removing disruptions to coal and lobster would provide a positive backdrop for an expected visit to Beijing by the Australia trade minister in the coming months,” said James Laurenceson, the director of the Australia-China Relations Institute at the University of Technology Sydney.