Source: AFP
China said on Monday it had launched an anti-dumping investigation into pork imports from the European Union, the latest step in an escalating trade standoff between the bloc and its biggest economic partner.
Pork is China’s most popular meat and a staple diet in the world’s second most populous country.
Imports of pork and pork by-products from EU countries totaled more than three billion dollars last year, according to Beijing customs data.
Monday’s investigation is in response to a petition filed by a local trade group on behalf of domestic producers, Beijing said.
“The Department of Commerce has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into imports of related pork and pork by-products originating in the European Union,” the ministry said in a statement.
It follows the bloc’s decision last week to impose additional tariffs of up to 38% on imports of Chinese electric cars from next month following an anti-subsidy investigation.
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The European Commission has pointed to an “unfair subsidy” in China, which it said “poses a risk of economic injury” to EU electric car manufacturers.
The European Commission has proposed temporary increases in tariffs on Chinese manufacturers of 17.4 percent for market major BYD, 20 percent for Geely and 38.1 percent for SAIC.
The EU said the amount depends on the level of government subsidies the companies receive.
Beijing warned that the tariffs would “harm the very interests of Europe” and condemned the bloc’s “protectionism”.
And it has stepped up threats that Beijing could target EU exports, including pork and dairy products, in the wake of the tariffs announcement.
Spain is the EU’s largest exporter of pork and pork by-products to China, according to figures.
Beijing launched an anti-dumping investigation in January into brandy imported from the EU, in a move seen as targeting France, which had pushed for the commission’s investigation.
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It also launched an anti-dumping investigation in May on imports of the basic chemical engineer from the EU, the United States, Taiwan and Japan.
His Commerce Ministry said last week that domestic industries “have the right” to request investigations into imports to “protect their legitimate rights and interests.”
Beijing also said last week it “reserves the right” to file a lawsuit with the World Trade Organization over the planned new EU tariffs.
German Economy Minister Robert Habeck will visit China this week, with a spokesman saying he “will not be able to avoid addressing” the issue of tariffs.
Source: AFP