(Yicai Global) Aug. 18 -- China's commerce ministry has started investigating Australian winemakers regarding suspiciously low pricing.

On behalf of Chinese companies, the China Alcoholic Drinks Association asked the commerce ministry to look into last year's imports of Australian wines, the ministry announced today. The investigation should be concluded by Aug. 18 but could be extended till Feb. 18, 2022, under special circumstances.

China is Australia's biggest export market for wines. Such imports enjoy zero tariffs as of last year, based on the two countries' free trade agreement penned in 2015. In the 12 months ended in late June, Australia's wine exports to China tallied AUD1.2 billion (USD863.6 million), down 1 percent from a year ago, according to data from Wine Australia.

Moreover, Aussie winemakers have China's largest market share of imported wines at over 38 percent, followed by France with its 26 percent, according to data that the China Chamber of Alcohol Importers and Exporters released on Aug. 4.

Editor: Emmi Laine