Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has hosed down suggestions of an impending trade war between Australia and China after the suspension of meat imports from at least four Australian abattoirs.

The ban on Aussie beef comes a day after Beijing threatened to impose massive tariffs on Australian barley – claiming its to stop the dumping of cheap barley into the country.

Trade experts say it’s hard not to see China’s actions as retaliation against Australia’s call for an international investigation into the origins of coronavirus.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann tells Brooke Corte suggestions of a trade war are overblown.

“I know that you might want me to fit into a narrative that seems to be convenient for people who want to talk up a particular perspective,” Senator Cormann said.

“The truth of the matter is that the process under the World Trade Organisation rules when it comes to barley were initiated 18 months ago,”

Click PLAY to hear Senator Mathias Cormann speak with Brooke Corte: