In view of the increasingly tight relations between China and Australia, Chinese media reported the Chinese government will restrict coal imports from Australia. Birmingham, the Australian Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister, said that China will violate its trade commitments to Australia and the world if the content is true, requesting China to comply with the FTA between the two countries.

As the relationship between China and Australia getting worse, Australian coal is gradually losing the Chinese market. Dozens of coal ships had been stranded at sea because China had banned coal imports from Australia since October this year.