Lobsters back on Chinese menu after Anthony Albanese confirms deal to lift trade embargo

China will lift its ban on Australian live lobster exports by the end of the year, Anthony Albanese has confirmed after he met Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

The dispute over a technical matter related to the testing of live lobsters has hit WA crayfish producers particularly hard over the past couple of years.

The Prime Minister announced an agreement to lift the trade embargo after talks with Mr Li on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Laos on Thursday morning.

The timeline means Australian lobsters will be back on dinner and restaurant tables in time for Chinese New Year celebrations.

“This will welcomed by the people engaged in the live lobster industry in places like Geraldton and South Australia and Tasmania and so many parts of particularly regional Australia,” Mr Albanese said.

The rock lobster ban was the last of China’s remaining COVID-era trade sanctions on Australia after restrictions on coal, wine and barley were gradually lifted amid a thawing in the diplomatic relationship between Beijing and Canberra.

“It will be substantial,” Mr Albanese said of the economic impact of resuming lobster trade.

Earlier, Mr Albanese told the premier that Australia wants a “peaceful, stable region” where countries abide by international law amid heightened tensions over Beijing’s behaviour in the South China Sea.

Mr Albanese said “frank exchanges” about areas of disagreement would help strengthen ties between Australia and China.

He has been attempting to stabilise Australia’s relationship with China while at the same airing Canberra’s grievances with Beijing, including its intrusions into the South China Sea, a ban on rock lobster imports and the detention of Australian writer Yang Hengjun.

“Dialogue is crucial and peace and stability take work,” Mr Albanese said.

In his opening remarks, Premier Li said it was “gratifying” that relations between Australia and China “continue to move forward in a positive direction.

More to come.