Australia news live: Penny Wong wins jet fuel pledge from China in Beijing visit; US lawmaker says Aukus price might go up | Australia news

Australia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, said China had agreed to work to facilitate jet fuel exports to ease supply disruptions caused by the war in the Middle East, AFP reported.

China, a major exporter of jet fuel and diesel to Australia and other countries, avoided the worst energy impacts of the war thanks to its large oil stocks, but paused exports at the start of the war to protect its domestic resources.

“I can confirm that the Chinese government has facilitated interaction with Australian businesses on jet fuel,” Wong told reporters after talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing.

He added that the move was “an important step, but a first step.”

Earlier in the day, Wong had told Han that refineries in the Indo-Pacific region were disproportionately affected by the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz.

He called for greater reciprocity in trade in the talks and stressed that Australia’s stable supply of raw materials and food to China must be met by a reliable flow of gasoline, kerosene and fertilizer into Australia.

“I noted that the import inputs that China supplies to Australia, including jet fuel, support the Australian resources sector, which helps maintain the flow of commodities that are crucial in the bilateral trade relationship,” Wong told the press conference.