China has slapped suspensions and threatened tariffs on Australia’s key agriculture exports but Canberra has warned it will not back down on its demands for a coronavirus pandemic inquiry. Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton said: “Australia’s done nothing more than stand up for our values and we will consistently do that.

“The Prime Minister has been resolute in standing up for Australians in relation to this matter. And that won’t change.”

His warning comes after Trade minister Simon Birmingham said: “Australia certainly holds our own, we adopt our policy positions consistent with our values and we don’t entertain economic coercion in any sense in terms of changing our policy positions.”

Australia is pushing for an independent inquiry into the coronavirus outbreak to help prevent future pandemics, but the move has angered China, its largest trading partner, which believes such a call is anti-China propaganda.

In retaliation, Chinese customs authorities suspended four large beef exporters from Australia and threatened to introduce a tariff of up to 80 percent on Australian barley shipments.

Chinese officials have said “privately and publicly these are unconnected matters”.

But Australia has made contact with China for urgent talks to no avail.

Mr Birmingham said he had not received a reply after requesting a call with Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan, telling ABC television: “The ball is very much in the court of the Chinese government.

“We have made it very clear that I am available and keen to have a discussion.”

Mr Birmingham has said the beef ban was linked to issues with labelling and health certificates, while the barley tariffs were related to an anti-dumping case.

While China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on the country’s customs agency had found repeated instances of quarantine violations by the barred Australian beef companies and imports were suspended to “ensure the safety and health of Chinese consumers”.

The nationalist Global Times newspaper in China, affiliated with the official People’s Daily, said in editorial on Wednesday the suspensions of the meat processors should serve as a “wake-up call” for Australia for its unfriendly actions.

Citing the push for a COVID-19 inquiry and Australia’s decision to ban Chinese firm Huawei from its 5G network, the Global Times said “concern over potential retaliatory measures from China seems totally justified given Australia’s heavy economic reliance on China”.

Australia’s National Farmers’ Federation President Fiona Simson said the industry was concerned about disruptions to trade with China, which took a third of Australia’s farm exports, including 18 percent of beef production.

It comes after Chinese ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye last month warned that Chinese consumers could boycott Australian products if Canberra pursued the coronavirus inquiry.

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, who has been heavily criticised by Beijing for his attacks on China, has praised Australia for calling for an inquiry and urged “every country” to demand answers.

New Zealand and Britain have also offered support.