China's removal of trade bans on Australian rock lobsters wasn't in exchange for something else, the assistant trade minister says.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese Premier Li Qiang reached a deal to allow lobster exports back into China by the end of the year, after meeting in Laos last week.
The breakthrough means almost all of the sanctions imposed by Beijing on $20 billion worth of Australian products have since been removed.
China introduced the sanctions in 2020 after the previous Morrison government called for an inquiry into the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senator Tim Ayres rejected suggestions there must be something offered in exchange for the removal of the trade bans.
"It's a very strange claim to make with with no evidence for it," he told Sky News on Sunday.
"The government has been completely consistent in terms of the way that we've dealt with the challenge of stabilising relations with China."
Senator Ayres repeated the government's message to Australian businesses for them to diversify their markets and said there was a "lesson to be learned".
Liberal Senator James Paterson said the coalition welcomed the lifting of the tariffs.
He said Labor deserved credit, but it was a national achievement.
"The reason why the Chinese government has walked away from these sanctions is because they didn't work," he told ABC's Insiders.
"They had two objectives. One, was to damage the Australian economy, and to send a message to our like-minded partners and friends never speak out against China because there'll be a cost.
"The second was to change our domestic public policy settings ... it's failed on both counts."
Only two beef producers remain suspended, with work underway to have these lifted.
Australian wine and lobsters were among the industries impacted by the duties, and were crippled by the loss of the Chinese market.
Rock lobster exports were worth more than $700 million, and the loss of trade impacted more than 3000 Australians employed in the industry.
China is Australia's largest trading partner, and total two-way trade hit a record $327 billion in 2023.
