Australia will seek to be included in World Trade Organization consultations on a trade dispute between the European Union and China, the Australian trade minister said on Saturday. The EU complaint filed on Thursday accuses China of discriminatory trade practices against Lithuania. After Canberra barred Huawei Technologies from its 5G broadband network in 2018, reinforced laws against foreign political meddling, and called for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19, relations between Australia and China deteriorated. Beijing retaliated by blocking ministerial relations and slapping taxes on coal, meat, and wine, among other Australian exports.
