Australia has elevated its dispute with China at the World Trade Organization (WTO), calling for a panel to be established to address Beijing’s punitive tariffs on Australian barley exports. One expert, however, says obtaining a resolution from the WTO could be challenging, given the body has been paralysed since the Trump administration refused to appoint new members to its dispute resolution body in 2019. Australian Minister for Trade, Dan Tehan, said the government was moving ahead with establishing a dispute settlement panel after it became clear consultations with China in late January had broken down. “While there was constructive engagement on both sides, these consultations did not resolve our concerns,” Tehan said in a statement. “The WTO, dispute settlement system, is designed to allow Members to settle their differences over trade matters in a respectful manner,” he said. “The Government is committed to defending the interests of Australian barley producers. …