China to impose duties of up to 42.7% on EU dairy
Cheese imported from Europe is displayed at a supermarket in Beijing on Aug 21, 2024. (File photo: AFP/Pedro Pardo)
BEIJING: China said on Monday (Dec 22) it would place temporary duties on "certain dairy products" imported from the European Union, marking the latest salvo in a trade spat that spans from food to electric vehicles.
The "duty deposits", which range from 21.9 per cent to 42.7 per cent, come into effect on Tuesday.
They hit a range of items, including fresh and processed cheese, curd, blue cheese and some milk and cream, the commerce ministry in Beijing said in a statement.
Officials launched an anti-subsidy probe in August 2024 after receiving a request from the Dairy Association of China. The probe will conclude in February.
China's commerce ministry said on Monday that preliminary findings showed a link between EU subsidies and "substantial damage" to its domestic dairy industry.
The fees on EU dairy come a week after Beijing said it would impose anti-dumping levies on EU pork imports for five years.
Those duties kicked in on Dec 17 and range from 4.9 per cent to 19.8 per cent - down from temporary levies of 15.6 to 62.4 per cent that had been in place since September.
