Cambodia and Vietnam open new border crossing

Cambodia and Vietnam are strengthening links in a bid to boost both tourism and trade. 

The two south-east Asian nations this month opened a new international land border crossing, news hub Travel Mole reports. 

The Khanh Binh-Chrey Thom international border gate links An Giang province in southern Vietnam with Cambodia’s Kandal province, providing another gateway for travellers and commercial traffic between the neighbouring countries.

The crossing is expected to simplify journeys for residents and international visitors while supporting logistics, commercial exchanges and cooperation between border communities.

It could also make it easier for travellers to combine visits to Cambodia and Vietnam within a single trip.

The opening comes as Cambodia is in conflict with another neighbour, Thailand, after border skirmishes.

The Khanh Binh-Chrey Thom opening follows the inauguration of the Muen Chey-Tan Nam international border gate on December 8, 2025, linking Cambodia’s Prey Veng province with Vietnam’s Tay Ninh province.

Image: vietnam.vn

A bridge too far for Canadians?

Imagine building a multi-billion-dollar bridge between two countries that are constantly at loggerheads. 

When the Gordie Howe International Bridge opens for traffic between Windsor, Ontario, in Canada and Detroit, Michigan, in the US on Monday it comes at a time when relations between the two countries are decidedly frosty. 

As is the case in many countries around the globe, US president Donald Trump is widely loathed in Canada.

When the new bridge at the busiest border crossing between the US and Canada was conceived in 2012, the relationship between the two nations was dramatically different, the New York Times reported.

In a spirit of co-operation, the bridge was named after the late Canadian ice hockey star Gordie Howe, who played 25 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings.

On Friday, the $US 4.5 billion bridge was opened ceremonially just after Trump announced 50% tariffs on a variety of Canadian products worth $US20 billion. 

In response, Canada removed invitations to American officials to jointly open the bridge. And it moved the ceremony from the international border line in the centre of the bridge to the inspection plaza of the Canada Border Services Agency.

“In light of trade action threatened by the United States earlier this week, it would not be inappropriate to proceed with a celebratory event between the two countries,” the office of Canada’s infrastructure minister said in a statement.

“The Gordie Howe International Bridge remains a vital infrastructure project that reflects years of hard work and will be a major economic driver.”

Trump responded with his usual tact and restraint. 

“Canada disinvited the United States of America to the opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge, which is fine, considering they are paying substantial TARIFFS to the United States,” he wrote on an obscure social media platform. 

Trump added that the 2012 agreement between Canada and Michigan governing the bridge “no longer stands”. 

Speaking with reporters after the ceremony, Gregor Robertson, Canada’s infrastructure minister said that is not the case, the NY Times reported.

The previous bridge between Windsor and Detroit was privately owned. This one will be funded by Canada and the state of Michigan. 

Visa-free entry to China a bonus for Australians

Australian travellers and wine producers are among the big winners following the visit of Chinese Premier Li Qiang earlier this week.

Fresh after announcing visa-free access for New Zealand travellers to China, Li flew across the Tasman and offered the same benefits to Australians.

The visa relaxation moves gives Australians up to 15 days in China without the need for a $110 single-entry tourist visa. The visa-free entry will be valid for tourism, business or family visits.

Australians join New Zealand, Singapore, France, Japan, Spain and Thailand in having the perk, a sign of thawing relations between China and Australia.

“We agreed to provide each other with reciprocal access to five-year multiple entry visas for tourism, business and visiting family members - so as to better facilitate personal exchanges,” Li said.

Meanwile, Li Qiang made a historical visit to Australia’s popular winery Penfolds, which has resumed exports to China following the lifting of tariffs.

Treasury Wine Estates, Penfolds’ parent company, had CEO Tim Ford and managing director Tom King host Li.

The visit also included welcomes from South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell, and Foreign Minister Penny Wong at Magill Estate, guided by chief winemaker Peter Gago.

So the big guns were out in force.

Image: Beijing. Roberto Moreno, Scop.io 

Positive signs for Australian wine exports to China

Australian wine could be back on sale in China as early as April next year.

The Chinese government has announced it will review tariffs on Australian wine imports following a long-running dispute over the issue.

The move comes after a number of meetings between leaders of the two countries in recent months.

China’s commerce ministry said in an official statement that it was due to conduct a review into the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs on Australian wine imports, which China-focused website Vino-Joy.com said could result in sales resuming within a few months.

"The Ministry of Commerce will carry out a review in accordance with the law to fully protect the rights of all stakeholders," Shu Jueting, a commerce ministry spokesperson, told a news conference in Beijing.

"We will adjudicate objectively, fairly and openly based on the claims of each interested party and after examining the evidence."

The latest progress follows the news last month that China and Australia had reached an agreement to settle a World Trade Organisation dispute ahead of the tariff's expiration date in 2026.

A spokesperson for the office of Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell told the Reuters news agency that the latest announcement was “good news for the thousands of Australians who work in the wine industry”.

The Chinese commerce ministry announced i earlier this year that it would be scrapping 80.5% tariffs on Australian barley, which were originally imposed during the height of the two countries dispute in 2020.

China’s trade tariffs on wine came into effect in November, 2020, imposing a charge of 107.1-212.1% on wine exports initially (the rates varied by company). That rose to 116.2-218.4% in March, 2021.

The export sanctions contributed to wiping over 2 billion dollars off the value of Australian wine experts in the year to June 30, 2022, trade site The Drinks Business said.

The duties were originally said to be imposed by Beijing in reaction to the perception that Australia was dumping cheap wines into the People’s Republic. But also came as then Prime Minister Scott Morrison alienated Chinese leaders with a variety of political stances. 

Singapore says "no" to Australian prosecco

A Singapore court has slammed the door shut on Australian wine producers looking to use the word "prosecco" to describe their sparkling wines.

The Court of Appeal said this week that the term “prosecco” can be used in Singapore "exclusively for wines produced in a specific region in Italy", as requested by Prosecco producers.

It rejected the arguments of Australian winemakers opposing the move, The Straits Times reported.

Australian producers argue that prosecco is the name of a grape variety, while the Italians say it is a geographic indicator.

So Australian winemakers wanting to sell prosecco in Singapore may have to label their wines OzSecco, or AusSecco - my idea, payment to GOTR please. 

A five-judge court ruled that while Australians could demonstrate that “prosecco” was the name of a grape variety, it failed to show that the proposed GI is likely to mislead Singapore consumers as to the true geographical origin of the wine.

It is the first ruling by the Court of Appeal on geographical indications, a type of intellectual property protection which identifies a product as having originated from a particular territory that has given the item its unique characteristics.

Wine industry cheered by thaw in Australia-China relations

The Australian wine industry is hoping for a breakthrough in the trade stalemate with China that has seen exports slump.

Wine industry leaders hope the recent meeting between Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese leaders could eventually lead to a lifting of tariffs, which are costing the sector more than a billion dollars a year.

Australia and China took the first step towards repairing their diplomatic relationship following a "constructive" meeting between Albanese and Xi Jinping on the side line of the G20 summit in Bali earlier this week.

The new chief executive of Australian Grape & Wine, the national association for wine grape and wine producers, Lee McLean, described the meeting as "very positive", but warned producers there was "a long way to go", Australian Associated Press reported.

"Dialogue is great and we hope this sets the right conditions for further dialogue ... opening opportunities to resolve the import duties issue," he told AAP.

McLean said producers shouldn't expect an immediate removal of import duties as a result of an initial meeting.

"This is probably the start of the process," he said.

China's $20 billion worth of trade sanctions on Australia were discussed at the meeting between the two leaders.

Chinese tariffs on Australian wine exports of up to 218% were introduced in March 2021, and have made it unviable for most producers to sell into the growing Chinese market and its fast rising middle class.

Sales have since dropped in the Chinese market by 98%.

China had previously been the Australian wine industry's largest export market by value.

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt described the meeting between the nation's leaders as "significant" to the wine industry, and said he had talked with Albanese following the meeting.

"This is a very positive step - the first such meeting between the two countries' leaders since 2016," he told an audience of wine industry representatives in Adelaide. "There can be no doubt that our new government's renewed mature engagement in the Asia-Pacific is beginning to repair relationships damaged by the previous government."

Photo by Giorgia Frare on Scopio

Tasmania ramps up its fine wine message

Wine Tasmanian has unveiled a range of activities to reward, recognise and promote wine trade representatives and venues from Tasmania and interstate.

Wine trade representatives have been invited to participate in a series of events and promotional activities this spring, including a major national trade visitation program, new-release wine tasting events, revitalised Tasmanian Wine List of the Year awards and the Tassie Wine Stars event.

After a challenging period for many businesses, Tasmanian wine producers are looking forward to reconnecting with wine buyers and thanking them for their support.

Sheralee Davies, Wine Tasmania CEO, said: “Our wholesale wine buyers - for both restaurants / wine bars and retail outlets around the country - are major supporters of our Tasmanian wine businesses.

"We know the past 18 months has been particularly difficult for our friends in hospitality, who have nonetheless continued to demonstrate strong support for local wine producers, and we want to thank them.

"Tasmanian representatives are being invited to participate in our national wine trade visitation programs for the first time, with four visits being hosted in September and October.

"We've also announced two tastings for local wine trade to enjoy new release wines from Tasmania and interact with their growers and makers at Tamar Ridge on August 30 and MONA on September 6."

Davies said the Tasmanian Wine List of the Year Awards were also back in 2021, with all Tasmanian venues that stock local wines encouraged to submit a nomination - with wine retailers now eligible to enter as well as restaurants/wine bars/cafés etc.

“A  'people’s choice voting campaign’ will promote finalists and encourage visitation to selected venues, with the winners being announced at the Tassie Wine Stars awards night in late October,” she said.

"Tasmania produces some of the world's best wines; pinot noir, chardonnay and sparkling wines in particular."

For more information and to apply, visit www.winetasmania.com.au/trade-update.

Members of the public, meanwhile, can attend the Great Eastern Wine Week program which runs from September 3-13. 

This year marks the seventh year with the event expanding from a weekend to just over a week in 2021, with a total of 50 events. The festival is recognised as a significant contributor to the state’s regional tourism economy and is supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania.

“As we enter our seventh year, we are immensely proud of our achievements in promoting not only the wine but the excellent diversity of regional produce, experiences, chefs, cooks, caterers, providores, restauranteurs and communities of the East Coast," says Glenn Travers, chair of the East Coast Wine Trail from Craigie Knowe Vineyard (top). 

"From humble beginnings in 2015 when the Great Eastern Wine Weekend was a concept developed by RACT Destinations and Freycinet Lodge, Great Eastern Wine Week has evolved into a ‘must do’ wine and food festival, positioning the East Coast of Tassie as one of Australia’s aspirational wine and food destinations.” 

For details see https://eastcoasttasmania.com/great-eastern-wine-week

Chinese bastardry forces Australian wine producers to pivot

The announcement that China will apply duties of up to 218.4% on most Australian wine exporters has left the wine industry needing to pivot quickly. 

Australian Grape & Wine said today that it is now focusing its attention on driving growth in developing markets. 

China’s Ministry of Commerce of Commerce (MOFCOM) yesterday released its final determinations on investigations into allegations of dumping of Australian wines in China and trade distorting subsidies (countervailing duties), applying duties on imports of all bottled, still wines from Australia.

“While it is disappointing, the industry is not surprised by today’s decision,” said Tony Battaglene, CEO of Australian Grape & Wine. 

“We continue to reject the allegations levelled against Australian Grape & Wine members and have approached both investigations as collaboratively and transparently as possible.”

Battaglene said the industry had been preparing for this outcome.  

“Our focus now is two-fold. Firstly, we’re working with industry and the Australian Government to assess options available to us within the Chinese system, and internationally," he said. 

"And secondly, we’re focusing on growing demand for Australian wine in other markets across Asia, Europe, US, and the UK.

“We have worked closely with the Australian Government throughout this process and I want to thank Ministers for the work they have done in what has been a very challenging period for everyone.”

“The Australian Government’s $72.7 million investment to help agribusinesses expand their export markets is a great first step to getting on with the job of finding new markets for Australian wine. 

"It’s going to take collaboration, hard work and commitment, but if we work together we’re confident that we can drive growth in market access and sales in a range of markets in the coming years.”

# Australian Grape and Wine Inc is the national association of grape and wine producers.