From SeafoodSource June 7, China is phasing out its import ban on Australian beef, but the ban on live Australian lobsters remains in place.

In December 2023, China lifted its ban on Australia's three largest meat exporters. Now, China has lifted its ban on five other meat processors.

Australia says it will continue to urge China to lift the remaining trade barriers, including Australian rock lobster.

Australia has been unable to export live rock lobster to China since 2020. Since then, New Zealand has become the main source of Chinese rock lobster.

New Zealand rock lobster has a market share of nearly 40 percent in China, followed by Mexico (20 percent) and the United States (16 percent).

With the exchange of visits by senior leaders of China and Australia, as a signal of the resumption of normal and friendly trade relations between the two sides, it is reportedly expected that the Chinese side may lift the ban on rock lobster in the coming weeks.