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SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia said it is seeking answers from China on why its lobster exports have been blocked, after a top Hong Kong customs official said Beijing had imposed trade restrictions and lobster smuggling was a national security matter. Almost all of Australia s exports of the live seafood, prized at Chinese banquets for its red colour, went to mainland China until diplomatic tensions in 2020 saw a series of unofficial trade hurdles imposed by Beijing on Australian produce. Exports of lobsters to Hong Kong then soared - Hong Kong and Australia have a separate free trade deal - with some of the live seafood finding its way to mainland cities. Hong Kong s new Commissioner of Customs and Excise, Louise Ho, told local media on Thursday that a new crackdown on the smuggling of Australian lobsters from Hong Kong to mainland China was an important part of protecting national security . On the surface, it is a simple matter of smuggling lobsters, but these activities undermine our