The announcement comes five days after the European Commission increased customs taxes on Chinese electric vehicles.
Beijing had threatened retaliation, and it began to fall. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce has opened an anti-dumping investigation into deliveries of European pork, an extremely important market for many member states.
A decision which worries farmers who derive a significant part of their profits from these exports.
“The Chinese market values parts like ears, feet and, let’s say, the whole head. These are regions that they obviously appreciate and their local gastronomy values them very highly, while we do not have these consumption habits and we prefer to leave it to them.”explains Sébastien Homo, farmer in Brittany.
These measures do not surprise international trade experts. The announcement comes just five days after the European Commission raised customs taxes on Chinese electric vehicles. Brussels is concerned about the impact of Chinese subsidies and overcapacity on the automobile industry of member states.
German Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Economy Robert Habeck decided to go to Beijing to try to ease tensions.
“It is an extremely important country for Germany and for Europe in all respects. These relations have certainly become much more complex in the past. The economic policy conflicts are worth mentioning, especially with regard to Electric car prices Again, this comes down to one example. This will definitely have a major impact on travel. Robert Habeck clarified before his departure.
China imported 5.6 billion euros worth of pork in 2023, half of which came from the European Union. Spain is the leading supplier followed by Denmark, the Netherlands and France.