CHINA has suspended the import of Australian timber from New South Wales and Western Australia after local custom officers claimed to have found pests in the cargo, reports London’s Daily Mail. The ban began on Wednesday, December 30, and comes after previous suspensions of timber shipments from Victoria and Queensland during worsening tensions between the two countries.
Local customs authorities must strengthen inspections on timber imports and return any cargoes found with pests, according to the General Administration of Customs Office.
Previously, China banned timber shipments from Tasmania and South Australia on December 3, citing the same reason for the boycott.
The Chinese government claimed the actions come to prevent pests from entering China and to protect their country’s forestry and ecological safety.