Australia urged China on Sunday to respond to its requests to discuss easing tensions between the two trading partners after Canberra called for an international inquiry into the origins of the novel coronavirus.
China, accusing Australia of playing "petty tricks", has recently suspended beef imports from four of Australia's largest meat processors and is considering imposing hefty tariffs on imports of barley.
Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham has requested discussions on the trade issues with his Chinese counterpart, he said in a television interview on the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC) on Sunday.