TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — An Australian company has reportedly turned down offers by Chinese firms to purchase its coal as it is already fully contracted to Taiwan-based clients.

The News.com.au website of News Corp, which is owned by media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, on Monday (Feb. 13) reported that China has "backflipped" on its Australian coal ban. The article described Beijing as "crawling back" to buy coal from Australia, but revealed that Chinese firms have been rejected by an Australian company in favor of Taiwanese rivals.

The news agency cited a spokesperson for New Hope Corporation as saying that there has been a "sizable increase in inquiries from Chinese buyers in the past month." However, the spokesperson said the company has rejected offers from Chinese suitors because it is already selling to customers in Taiwan.

According to the representative, the corporation's production orders are already completely filled by existing clients, "including long-term international customers in Japan and Taiwan." The report mockingly described the rejection as an "embarrassing moment for China" as Chinese buyers were rebuffed due to existing contracts with customers from the "disputed Chinese territory and enemy of the CCP, Taiwan."