China has announced plans to impose temporary duties on certain dairy products imported from the European Union, marking the latest escalation in an ongoing trade dispute that has expanded from food products to electric vehicles.
In a statement issued on Monday, China’s Ministry of Commerce said the “duty deposits,” ranging from 21.9 per cent to as high as 42.7 per cent, will take effect from Tuesday.
The measures will apply to a broad range of dairy products, including fresh and processed cheese, curd, blue cheese, as well as selected milk and cream products.
According to the ministry, the decision follows preliminary findings from an anti-subsidy investigation launched in August 2024 after a petition by the Dairy Association of China. The probe, which is expected to conclude in February, reportedly established a link between European Union subsidies and what Beijing described as “substantial damage” to China’s domestic dairy industry.
The move comes just a week after China announced the imposition of anti-dumping duties on pork imports from the European Union for a five-year period. Those levies, which took effect on December 17, range between 4.9 per cent and 19.8 per cent—significantly reduced from the temporary rates of 15.6 per cent to 62.4 per cent that had been in place since September.
The latest action underscores rising trade tensions between China and the European Union, with both sides increasingly resorting to protective measures across multiple sectors.
About the Author
